Broken But Not Destroyed
by lateVMlover
Summary: This is set after Arrow season 2's undertaking. Oliver can't take the guilt and flees the city, leaving Thea, John, Felicity, and Roy to pick up the pieces. Buffy comes to Starling City looking for both a hellmouth and a new slayer. Buffy will help train and save city in Oliver's absence. Set more in the Arrow world than BTVS. Previously posted on Arrow main page.
1. Chapter 1

**This is not a new story from me. It is "Broken Not Destroyed" that I've been posting on the Arrow page. I decided to begin posting it on the crossover site mainly due to the fact that I plan on violating my original pledge to only have Buffy in it. This is a fun story, so if you're new to it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I! **

**Introduction: Buffy comes to Starling City about a dozen years or so since she left Sunnydale (Buffy season 7), which will put her in her mid or late 30's. She is in search of a new slayer and is investigating whether or not the earthquake in the Glades was the result of a hellmouth. The story will be told from various characters' POV. All the characters from **_**Arrow**_** will feature prominently in this tale except for any characters from the island. If you're familiar with my writing style, this story will be similar to others. I like to get inside the characters' head and emotions. The first chapter focuses exclusively on the aftermath of the Undertaking.**

Chapter 1: Walking Away

Oliver waited at the graveside until the funeral was over. He took the condolences of his family and friends. He tried to console Thea while avoiding Laurel's gaze. The guilt was about to bring him to his knees. He failed his best friend, he failed Laurel, and he failed the city. His entire mission had been a dismal failure. Everyone left the graveside. He couldn't bring himself to leave. Frozen at the sight, he watched the coffin containing his oldest and closest friend be lowered in the grave. His fist clenched in helpless rage.

Felicity finally couldn't take it anymore. She and Diggle had stood in the background and watched the funeral. The public roles they were forced into had kept them from being able to lend Oliver their support. Felicity hated knowing so much about Oliver and yet having to be merely his employee on the surface. They had waited while he stood there saying goodbye to his friend. When he showed no sign of leaving, Felicity finally stepped forward. She reached out and took Oliver's hand.

Oliver looked at her, his expression so full of pain that it brought tears to Felicity's eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Oliver," she said, her eyes filled with sorrow and compassion.

"So am I," Oliver said sadly, his own eyes filled with unshed tears. He squeezed her hand and then pulled away. His eyes found Diggle. "I'm ready to leave."

His friends followed him to the waiting car.

Oliver got into the car. "I'd like to go to the foundry," he said automatically.

"Oliver, there's too much damage," Felicity reminded him.

Oliver needed to work out. He needed a way to let out the rage that seemed like it was going to consume him. Frustration gnawed at him.

"I took the liberty of moving some new equipment in your gym at your house," Diggle told him.

Oliver gave him a grateful look.

"I'll take Felicity home first," Diggle said.

Felicity felt helpless. She wanted so badly to be able to help Oliver. He'd stopped Tommy's father. He'd sacrificed so much. She and Detective Lance had stopped one of the bombs. They had made a difference. Surely, Oliver saw that. Somehow, Felicity knew he was focusing on the lives lost, not the ones saved.

An hour later, Oliver was down in the gym he'd almost forgotten his home contained. He was so used to doing his workouts in the basement of the club that he'd forgotten that the mansion had a state of the art gym. He'd been working out alone, punching the bag, jumping rope, and lifting weights, when Diggle joined him. Diggle threw him a staff. Diggle always knew what he needed. Oliver needed a target he could focus on.

Roy had been searching the house at Thea's request, looking for her brother. Oliver's driver had brought him home. The car was still out front, but Oliver wasn't in his room or any of the obvious places. The house was insanely big. Roy didn't understand why people had houses so large they could lose someone in, but he played the dutiful boyfriend and went to looking for her missing brother.

Oliver Queen scared Roy. Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone. Roy had heard about the playboy older brother. The one so bad that he'd been presumed dead after running off with his girlfriend's sister. The sister was dead and Oliver had been punished severely for his transgression. Five years on a deserted island would've been torture. Roy almost felt sorry for the man. Thea didn't talk too much about her brother except to say that he was different since his return. The look in his eyes when he looked at Roy sometimes terrified him. The eyes didn't seem to fit the image he projected to everyone. They only softened when they were looking at Thea. Roy had noticed this right away. Oliver loved his sister, and she adored him. Roy knew this without a doubt. It made him very careful with Thea. There was no way he was ever going to break up with her. If they were going to end, Roy would make damn sure Thea dumped him!

Sounds of fighting drew him down a hall. One that he'd never been down before. He peeked inside, his eyes widening at the sight. Thea's brother was shirtless. His driver was, too. Both men were ripped. The driver was an ex-soldier, so Roy didn't guess that was too surprising. What was surprising was the way the two men were going at it. The skill and fire the two men showed as they attacked one another with large sticks blew Roy's mind. It almost looked like they were trying to kill one another. Finally, Oliver managed to knock his driver down. Roy stood there in open-mouthed shock. He had no idea his girlfriend's brother was capable of such violence or had such skill. The implications frightened him.

Roy felt relieved when Oliver reached down to help Diggle up. He started to push the door all the way open and announce his presence, but the sight of Oliver's scars gave him pause. The man was covered in them. Roy now understood the look in the man's eyes. Oliver Queen had suffered. And he had suffered greatly. Watching him now, it was obvious that he was still suffering. His mother was in jail and his best friend killed in an earthquake that had killed hundreds. An earthquake his mom had something to do with. It was a mess. For the first time, he felt the stirrings of sympathy for Thea's brother.

"Do you feel better?" Diggle asked, handing Oliver a water bottle.

"I'm never going to feel better. I failed. I didn't stop Merlyn. I didn't save Tommy. I accomplished nothing!" Oliver said angrily. Roy swallowed hard as his words began to paint a picture. A picture Roy couldn't believe.

"Felicity and Lance managed to keep one of the devices from going off. Countless lives were saved. We got the Dark Archer. Your mission is complete," Diggle said.

"At what cost, John? I killed my best friend's father and lied to Tommy before he died. He died thinking I kept his murderous, insane father alive," Oliver said in disgust.

"You didn't do anything alone," Diggle said.

Roy took a step back. His mind reeling. "Oh shit!" he exclaimed. His hand went over his mouth. Did he say that out loud?

He turned to flee the scene when a hand grabbed his arm and yanked him hard in the room. Oliver Queen glared down at him. "What are you doing here?" Oliver asked harshly. He had Roy pinned to the wall, his hands around Roy's throat.

"Your—your sister sent me to find you. She's worried," Roy gasped, terrified.

"Oliver," Diggle warned.

Oliver released Roy, his glare still present. "What did you hear?" he demanded.

Roy thought about lying, but the lie died in his throat at the man's piercing look. He'd been searching for the Hood for so long, and now he was looking at him. He never dreamed it'd be his girlfriend's brother. "You're the Hood!" Roy said, his eyes wide with the new knowledge.

For a brief moment, Oliver thought about denying it. The lie came to his lips so easily. However, he was so tired. Tired of the lying, tired of the double life, tired of trying to balance his two worlds. Everything had fallen apart. His dreams have been shattered. There was no more lies left to say. He turned and gave Roy his back.

Roy saw the evidence of more scars on the backside of Oliver. The appearance of the Hood had coincided with the reappearance of Oliver Queen. It should've been obvious now that Roy thought about it. Knowing the Hood had an accomplice explained how Oliver managed to throw the police off his scent. "I've been looking for you. You saved my life. I want to learn from you. I want to help save people!" Roy said eagerly.

Oliver turned and gave him a look that froze his words. "You want to be a killer? Is that it? You want me to teach you how to kill?" Oliver asked angrily. "My sister will not ever be with a man like me. I'll kill you myself before that happens!"

He took a step toward Roy, and Roy gulped. Diggle stepped in front of him. "Oliver," he said in a quiet tone. Somehow, just saying Oliver's name served to calm the man down.

"I don't want to kill anyone!" Roy assured him. "I want to help people. That's what you do. You saved my life!"

"If you tell Thea or anyone what you've discovered, it'll be the last mistake you ever make," Oliver threatened. He held Roy's gaze a moment before walking out of the room.

Roy let out a breath. Diggle stepped up to him. "Oliver didn't mean that. He's upset. Merlyn almost killed him. It took both of us to put him down. We didn't know the man had two devices. We tried to stop him. But Tommy died. So many people died," Diggle said tiredly.

"I won't say a word. I swear!" Roy vowed.

"I hope you can keep that vow. The last thing this family needs is more scandal. The truth will destroy your sister. She's lost enough," Diggle said. He held Roy's gaze before following after Oliver.

Roy had trouble believing what had happened. His mind couldn't seem to process it all. One thing he knew. Oliver Queen really had died on that island. The man Oliver just met was _not _the brother Thea adored. Roy didn't know what Oliver had gone through but one thing was obvious. There was no way in hell the man had been alone on that island. Roy learned how to fight to survive. He knew how to run and evade most foes in the Glades. The skills that Oliver acquired on the island had obviously been honed for survival. These skills had come out of grim necessity.

Roy cautiously followed behind Oliver until he joined Thea. He watched as Thea wrapped her arms around Oliver, seeking comfort. Unlike Roy, Oliver could share her pain. She had adored Tommy. She had told Roy that he'd been like another brother, her first crush, her confidant. He'd replaced Oliver when Oliver had been presumed dead. Missing Oliver, he had kept coming around. Tommy had never abandoned Thea. His death devastated her. Roy sat down in the corner waiting until he was needed. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to keep a secret like this from Thea.

******_A Few Weeks Later******_

Oliver couldn't take it anymore. He felt like he was going to explode. He was tired of the calls, tired of the lawyers, and tired of the news. The horrible images from the Glades. He caused that. He figured out too late who Merlyn was. He had failed at such an awful cost. There was no way he could stay another night in Starling City. Not if he wanted to keep his sanity.

Having made the decision, he didn't know who to tell first, Thea or Felicity. Neither would take the news well. Thea was looking to him to save his mom, save the family, and save the company. Felicity had him on a pedestal so high his fall was inevitable. The only way to save them both from further hurt was to get off the pedestal completely. He couldn't fix anything. That he knew now without a doubt. He decided to tell Diggle first.

He was at home. Arrangements were already made. He was leaving that night. Diggle answered his call and came up to his room.

"What's up?" Diggle asked cautiously. He wasn't sure which way to tread with Oliver these days.

"I'm leaving. I've made arrangements for you to continue to guard my family. Keep an eye on Felicity. I put funds in both your accounts. What the two of you've done for me can never be repaid. I will always be grateful," Oliver said, holding out his hand.

Diggle hadn't expected this, so he ignored the offered hand. "What? You're just going to leave? Your family needs you now more than ever. This city is falling apart in case you've not been paying attention!" Diggle said, trying to control his temper.

"Of course, I know! I know that my meddling only made things worse! I didn't save Tommy! I didn't save my mother! I didn't manage to do a damn thing right! I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror. I need to get away," Oliver said bluntly, despair in his eyes.

"How long?" Diggle asked when he realized how serious Oliver was about this.

"I don't know. As long as it takes. Until I can stomach the sight of my own image," Oliver said, his self-loathing obvious.

Diggle stood silent and looked at him a few minutes. He could see the ragged edge Oliver walked on. He'd seen the look before. Too many times. Even on his own face. Finally, he nodded. "Okay," he said. "But you're telling Felicity."

Oliver grimaced but nodded. "Telling Thea will be bad enough."

He finished giving Diggle some instructions, and then he went downstairs to find his sister. She was playing Xbox with Roy. Sometimes he forgot how young she still was. At other times, he looked at her and didn't recognize her, still expecting to see the child he'd said goodbye to six years ago.

"Thea, we need to talk," Oliver said, getting her attention.

Roy recognized his serious tone and paused the game. He got up. "I'll give you guys some privacy," he said.

Oliver held out his hand. "No, stay," he said. He knew his sister would need Roy's support. He looked at Thea. "I'm going to leave town for a bit."

Thea frowned in confusion. "I thought you were going to reopen the club? The renovations will be complete soon. I was hoping I could work with you. Let me help you manage it. I don't want to go to school. How can I think about college when our mother is going to be tried for mass murder?"

"You don't want to go to college? Seriously? I thought you'd love a chance to get out of town," Oliver said in surprise.

"Like I can escape what's happened! What she's done!" Thea said bitterly.

Oliver glanced over at Roy as if seeking help. Roy shrugged. What could he say? Thea had a point. Her mom put the welfare of her two children over hundreds of innocent people.

"I need a break from all this myself. Surely going away to school will be a relief," Oliver suggested.

Thea's eyes flashed fire. "You can run away if you want Ollie, but I will _not_!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not running away! I just need a break!" Oliver said defensively.

"Well, go! Leave me again! You seem to be so good at it!" Thea said scornfully. She turned her back away from him.

Oliver was taken aback by her anger. Roy finally intervened, getting to his feet and going toward her. He put his arm around her shoulder. "Babe, he spent years away from all the publicity and stuff. He was on that island. You don't want him to, like, have a mental break down or something," he offered lamely. He gave Oliver a guilty glance but shrugged. He didn't have any real words to make Oliver leaving okay. He couldn't very well tell her that Oliver was the Hood and the most dangerous man in the city. Nor could Roy say that if her brother needed a mental health break, it was safer for everyone if he got it.

"Please, don't be mad, Thea," Oliver begged. "I love you more than anything. You have to know that. I wouldn't leave if I didn't have to."

Thea finally looked up at him. She saw something in his eyes that gave her pause. She wasn't completely self-involved. She knew that her brother had come back more than a little bit broken. His body full of scars said more than he ever did. It made her heart hurt to think of what he might've went through. "Okay, Oliver," she said quietly. "Promise me that you'll come back to me this time. Promise me you won't stay gone too long."

Oliver pulled her against him for a tight hug. His eyes connected with Roy. "Take care of her," he ordered. Roy, of course, knew that it wasn't just a brother speaking those words. If anything happened to Thea while Oliver was gone, the Hood would make sure Roy was punished.

Roy nodded. "I will," he vowed. Thea clung to him as Oliver left. "Don't worry. Your brother is a survivor. He'll be back before you know it."

Thea felt bereft. Her father was gone. Her mother was gone. Tommy was gone. Now Oliver was leaving again. She had a feeling things were never going to be the same.

*****_Across Town*****_

Diggle drove Oliver to Felicity's apartment. He didn't want to have this talk at work.

Felicity was surprised when she looked in her peek hole and saw Oliver standing outside her apartment door. She quickly opened it. "Oliver? Is everything okay?" she asked. She stepped back to let him in.

"Sorry to drop by unannounced, but Diggle's taking me to the airport, and I wanted to say goodbye before I left," Oliver said.

"Goodbye? Where are you going?" Felicity asked in confusion.

"I need to leave, Felicity. I can't stay here anymore. Everything I touch seems to fall apart. Tommy's dead. My family's name has been destroyed. I failed," he said, his eyes full of sorrow.

Felicity looked at him with compassion. She reached out and touch his arm. "You saved a lot of lives, Oliver," she told him.

He shook his head. "No. You and Detective Lance did. All I did was murder my best friend's father," he said bitterly.

"It wasn't murder!" Felicity said hotly. "Don't you ever say that! Diggle was there, too. You would've been dead if that man had his way. We all would've!"

Oliver knew it was pointless to argue with Felicity. She only saw him a certain way. Nothing he said would ever change that. In her eyes, he could do no wrong. He both loved and hated that about her. "Felicity, I appreciate your support, your faith in me. I deposited some money in your account for all the work you did for me," he told her.

"I didn't do it for the money!" she said hotly.

"I know you didn't, but you earned it," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Felicity said softly. He was just going to walk away. She never asked him to come into her life, to change her, to change everything. But he had. Now he was just going to stop being who he was to this city. To her. How could he do that? She wanted to tell him that. She wanted to demand answers, to yell, to beg him to stay. However, his eyes held too much pain. How could she add to it?

He gave her a grateful look as if understanding what she held back. Felicity stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I'm going to miss you," she mumbled against his chest.

He squeezed his eyes closed a moment, his arms hugging her back. Her embrace felt both new and familiar at the same time. A pang hit his heart as it occurred to him that he may never have a reason to be in this position again. Without the Hood, he and Felicity had no real ties. The realization made him incredibly sad. He stepped out of her embrace. "Take care," he said. Involuntarily, his hand rose up to cup her cheek. He tried to convey with his eyes what he was unable to voice. Then he turned to leave, unable to actually say goodbye to the only female in his life he never had to lie to.

Felicity watched him walk out her door, unable to process what exactly had occurred. She went through the motions of closing and locking her door. In a fog, she sat down on her couch. She sat there immobile for a while. Then she curled up in a ball, her mind racing. Who would she be now without the Hood? Could she simply pick back up her life as if nothing had changed? Could she only be Felicity Smoak, IT girl extraordinaire? Dissatisfaction filled her at the thought. Sorrow sprung up insider as an overwhelming sense of loss hit her.

"I'm not going to cry!" she said out loud. She kept repeating that mantra as the tears rolled down her cheek.

*****_A Month Later*****_

Buffy Summers drove into Starling City as the sun was setting. She stopped the bike she was driving and took off her helmet, looking at the city below. According to Giles, this city had major problems. Rising crime, death, an earthquake. The signs suggested there were supernatural elements a foot. Buffy didn't know, but she would find out. One thing she knew, though, was the city held a slayer. Willow had sent her here to bring the girl home to them. Willow was never wrong.

******_Chapter End*******_

_Reviews are always appreciated and treasured!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have the rights to Buffy the Vampire Slayer or The Arrow.**

_Chapter 2: New In Town_

Buffy enjoyed the new freedom she'd earned the past five years. There were so many slayers in various hot spots across the world that she no longer had to run the show. To defeat the First evil and to close the hellmouth in Sunnydale, Willow had channeled her magic into an ancient, magical scythe and turned all potential slayers in the world into actual slayers. All over the world in one moment in time slayers everywhere had been awakened. Willow could feel them all. New ones were born or activated all the time. Normally, when they reached fifteen or so, the slayer power in them was awakened. Giles, Xander, and Andrew had gotten the Watcher's Council back up and running after the First had destroyed it. They really didn't need her for the day to day stuff. They hadn't in several years really. Buffy had earned the right to do what she wanted. Since her last relationship had inevitably fallen apart more than two years ago, she'd been traveling solo recruiting new slayers. She liked traveling to new places and meeting new people without the pressure guarding a hellmouth always brought. Sometimes she felt restless with her nomadic existence, but nothing had yet tempted her to stay in one place for long.

The new slayer Buffy had come to Starling City to make contact with was eighteen. Willow had felt her two years ago, but they had been unable to spare any resources to hunt her up. Willow had identified who she was, though, and determined she was safe where she was at. She was also very high profile-Thea Queen, the daughter of a billionaire, the first slayer to come from such a background. Her mother's involvement in the recent events in her town had damaged the family name, yet Thea Queen had stayed in the city. Buffy assumed she'd either dismissed any college plans or had put them on hold. She had channeled all that slayer energy into work.

Buffy frowned as she watched Thea Queen give orders to her bartender. For the past week, Buffy had been coming into Verdant, the club the elusive Oliver Queen had started. After the Glades fell, the tortured playboy had left town. His best friend Tommy Merlyn had died in the earthquake that his father and Moira Queen were behind. Buffy couldn't help but admire Thea Queen, who not only stayed but managed to open back up her brother's club. Inner strength was definitely a quality a slayer had.

After observing her, Buffy wasn't quite sure how to proceed. It was clear that Thea had her hands full with her mother's trial coming up. Buffy wasn't sure taking her out of Starling City was the best course of action. Undecided how to approach the girl, she once again left the club before it got too rowdy or before she'd managed to make contact with Thea.

Buffy had found a cheap hotel not too far away. She normally walked to the club. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the chaos in the Glades. A beat cop walked toward her.

"Ma'am, the Glades aren't safe at night. Hell, they're not safe in the day time now a days," the cop said in disgust.

Buffy smiled at the man. She always found it endearing when a guy got all protective with her. There was a time when she found it annoying. But since she hit 30, she'd decided to take it in stride. Now it amused her.

"I'll be okay," she said, flashing the officer a smile. He was cute with amazing eyes. He looked to be around forty or so.

Quentin frowned at the attractive blonde woman. She was entirely too pretty to roam around this part of the city at night. "Attractive women are at extreme risks. Since the earthquake, the number of street thugs have risen. They target the weak or anyone walking alone," he said.

"So you think I'm weak?" Buffy asked, arching an eyebrow.

Quentin winced and tried backpedaling. "Uh..no, ma'am. I mean you're alone. It's dark. It's not a good idea," he said weakly.

"Officer?" she asked, trying to read his name tag in the poor light.

"Lance. Quentin Lance," he said, giving her a small smile. He held out his hand.

Buffy took his hand. "Buffy. Buffy Summers. It's nice to meet you. I'm new in town, but I do know that the crime has risen in this town. I'm always careful. Not to mention I've had a lot of practice in self-defense," she said. She started walking and wasn't surprised when he kept pace with her.

"So has my daughter, but I still would object to her walking around the Glades at night," he said.

Buffy glanced at his left hand, looking for a ring. "You have a daughter? How old is she?" she asked.

He seemed surprised at the personal question. "Oh, well, she's probably close to your age," he said.

Buffy stopped walking and looked at him in amazement. "You have a daughter that's thirty-six?" she asked in surprise.

Quentin's mouth fell open. "You're thirty-six? I thought you were about a decade younger," he admitted, looking sheepish.

Buffy broke out into a huge smile. "That's so sweet! I have this weird metabolism that keeps me healthy and younger looking than I am, but it's nice to hear anyway!" she exclaimed.

She turned back and resumed her walk toward her hotel. He kept up with her. They walked a block in silence. Quentin kept looking around, obviously vigilant. "So I bet your wife hates you working these late nights," she said, trying to make conversation. She was also a bit curious about his marital status. She'd been alone for thirty long months.

"I'm divorced," Quentin admitted. "A few years now."

"Well, at least you managed to find someone to marry. I can't seem to find one man to put up with me long enough to marry me!" she said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Why don't I believe you?" Quentin asked, a grin on his face. "I bet you have a trail of broken hearts following you everywhere you go."

Buffy laughed. "A few," she admitted. "But not in a while." She stopped in front of her hotel.

Quentin glanced up. "You are staying here?" he asked in distaste. "It's not a good choice."

"It's cheap. It's close to the club," she said with a shrug.

"So are you here on business or relocating?" he asked

"Business. I scout out potential clients and try to recruit them for my company," Buffy said carefully. "I could afford a better place to stay, but this is convenient." She decided she better cut the conversation before he asked more. "Thanks for walking me safely to my door."

He tipped his hat at her and stepped back. "Be careful," he said. He stayed and watched her walk through the hotel. Shaking his head, he walked down the road. There was no point in speculating about her. Despite being older than she appeared, she was still too young for him, and she was obviously more foolish than brave.

******_The Next Night******_

Felicity had spent the first two weeks of Oliver's absence just going through the motions. She couldn't believe he'd really left. He'd not contacted them at all except for a short email telling them he'd arrived at his destination in one piece. Of course, he wasn't telling them where exactly that destination was. A week ago, Felicity had finally discovered the ridiculous sum of money Oliver had left in her checking account. When she'd called Dig, he admitted to the same thing in his own. Although Oliver mentioned it before he'd left, she either hadn't believed him or his words hadn't registered. After she saw the insanely large amount Oliver had left, she and Diggle had met up for dinner and begun to make plans. Both agreed that they needed to be ready for Oliver's eventual return. It was a given that he'd be back. They just didn't know how long.

Felicity was eager to show Diggle what she'd done to their lair as she liked to call it. A total upgrade all around.

"Impressive," John Diggle said, looking around. He saw the new Arrow suit in the glass and laughed. "Not very subtle are you?"

Felicity grinned. "Well, I figured if I'm going to go all out, I shouldn't hold back!" she said with satisfaction. She pointed to the new computer. "These new upgrades are so amazing! I can do anything with them!"

Diggle laughed at her enthusiasm. "Well, put them to work to locate Oliver. The publicity of his mother's trail is getting uglier by the day. He needs to come home soon. He's been gone over a month," John said.

Felicity's smile slipped some. "What if he doesn't want to come home?" she asked. It was the fear that haunted her. He'd started something and felt like he'd failed. However, since he'd left, the city had grown worse. Some believed the Hood had died in the quake.

"His family is here. He'll come home eventually. They need him. He just needs some time," John said, trying to sound more confident that he felt. "I got to meet Carly for dinner. Can I walk you to your car?"

"No. I need to do some work down here," Felicity said.

"It's not a good idea to be in the Glades after dark," John said with a frown.

"I'll leave in a bit. It's not even dark yet. Don't worry," Felicity said.

"Call me if you need me," John told her. She nodded and he left.

She meant to keep her word, but she got caught up. Before she knew it, three hours had passed. When she noticed the time, she winced. She shut down the computers and went out the side door. Her car wasn't far. However, she was apprehensive. The Glades had become a nightmare since the quake. It was like the world had gone insane. Nighttime was definitely the worse time to be in the Glades.

When she made it outside, she walked briskly to her car, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. She'd almost made it to her car when she was surrounded by a group of teenage boys.

"Ooh, lookie here. A sweet little bird all alone," one of the guys said.

Another guy tried to grab her purse. Felicity instinctively clutched it to her. "I don't have any money on me," she said quickly.

"That's okay. We take credit," one of the said with a snicker.

Felicity called out loudly. "Anyone out there? Call the cops! I'm being robbed!"

One of the guys gave her an angry look and pulled out a knife. "I think we can do better than robbery!" he said with a malevolent look.

Her heart pounded with fear. She felt helpless. One or two she could possibly escape from, but there were five of them. She backed up until she hit her car. "Please don't hurt me!"

"Nothing I hate more than bullies," a voice said from behind them.

The guys and Felicity all looked at the newcomer. Felicity groaned when it was just another petite blonde female like herself. "Call the cops!" she cried out.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," the woman said with a smile. Then Felicity's mouth fell open as the girl proceeded to effortlessly take on the guys. She knocked three of them unconscious in less than three minutes. One of the guys ran off. The final one with the knife grabbed Felicity and used her as a shield, the knife at her throat.

"I'll kill her!" the guy threatened.

A voice behind Buffy called out. "Are you guys okay?"

"Call the cops!" Buffy called back. Then she turned to the guy. "Put the knife down before you do something you can't take back." Buffy kept her voice calm. She didn't have much experience dealing with the criminal element. It was hard for her to understand how humans with souls could be so cruel and vicious. However, she knew there were people in the world that cared nothing for others. They didn't mind hurting or killing the weak or any who got in their way. It was the police's job to deal with them. Buffy knew this. Nevertheless, she was incapable of walking away from a victim of violence.

"Back off or she dies!" the guy screamed.

Buffy held up her hands and took a step back. Felicity decided she had enough. Remembering what Diggle had taught her, she stomped down hard on the guys foot with her chic half boots. Then elbowed him hard in the stomach before pulling away. As soon as the guy lost his shield, he took off running.

Buffy snickered and bent down and picked up a rock—the Glades were full of pieces of buildings since the earthquake. She pitched it, and the rock struck him in the back of his head. He fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked the girl.

Felicity blinked up at the woman who saved her. She regarded her in awe. Breathing heavy, she asked, "How-how did you do that?" she asked.

Buffy shrugged. "I've had some training. I grew up in a rough town myself," she said. She held out her hand to help the girl up. "I'm Buffy."

"Felicity," she replied.

"Felicity?" a voice said. The two women turned to see Officer Lance quickly approaching. He recognized Buffy. "Are you two okay?"

"Detective Lance, you need to arrest those guys," Felicity said, pointing. "They surrounded me, tried to mug me. And that guy over there, pulled a knife on me and threatened to kill me."

Quentin looked around at the prone men. Two other officers approached. "Cuff those guys," he ordered. He turned back to the women as he bent down to turn one of the guys over and handcuff the man's hands. "Do one of you want to explain how these men ended up unconscious?"

Felicity glanced at Buffy. "I've been taking self-defense classes," she said proudly. "Buffy came along and lent a hand." For some reason, the desire to cover up the extent of Buffy's skill came to her naturally. Buffy gave her a grateful smile and a wink.

Buffy allowed the young woman to talk to the officer since she appeared to know him. She noticed Felicity had called Officer Lance detective.

"So the two of you took out five guys?" Officer Lance asked them, the disbelief apparent in his expression.

"I told you I could handle myself," Buffy said with a saucy smile.

Quentin shook his head as he hauled up the guy. He handed him off to another officer and took out his notepad. "Start at the beginning," he said.

Felicity gave Buffy an apologetic look. She didn't want to lie to Quentin. She had deep respect for the man. "Well..."

"Look, I approached," Buffy cut her off, a bit impatient. "I saw a girl surrounded by five guys. I took care of two of them. One ran off. The other engaged me while his friend put a knife to her throat. After I knocked out the remaining guy, she managed to disarm him. As he ran off, I threw a rock at him, knocking him out." A decade ago, Buffy would've made up a story. These days more women existed that were strong and capable. Women were even allowed on the frontlines in war. She was tired of pretending to be weak and found she had very little patience with acting the role of helpless female.

Quentin looked skeptical but didn't say anything as he wrote down her statement.

Inside the club, Roy was told by a bouncer that the cops were nearby. He went outside to investigate and saw the gathering across the street in the club parking lot. He recognized one of the girls as an employee of Queens Consolidated. She'd been at Tommy's funeral. The day he'd found out the Hood's real identity was seared into his brain. As he looked at the girl, he moved closer. He heard Detective Lance call the girl Felicity. Then he realized this was most likely the Felicity Diggle had been referring to when he was talking to Oliver about the earthquake. Lance and she had stopped the second device that Merlyn had. He eagerly joined them, hoping to connect with the Hood's accomplice.

"Detective Lance, is everything okay?" Roy asked.

"Why do they keep calling you detective?" Buffy asked him.

He ignored her question and began telling Roy what had occurred.

"He was a detective, but he got demoted for risking his life disarming one of Merlyn's earthquake devices," Felicity said, still disgusted by his circumstances.

"Seriously?" Buffy asked.

"He ignored a direct order from his superior," Felicity whispered as Lance glared at her.

"Tell your girlfriend that everything's under control. The perpetrators are in custody," Lance said.

Roy nodded. "Ladies, do you want to come inside for a drink? Or do you want me to drive you home?" he offered.

"My car is right there," Felicity said, pointing. "I'll be happy to take Buffy home."

"That's a good idea," Lance said, giving Buffy a pointed look. He warned about the violence on the streets of Starling City. She got lucky this time. She might not be so lucky the next time. Walking alone at night was a way to tempt fate.

Buffy knew things would go smoother if she just agreed. Plus, she wanted to make sure Felicity was really okay, so she nodded in agreement. It's not every day that a girl gets held hostage with a knife at her throat. Although the girl looked remarkably composed, Buffy felt compelled to make sure she was really okay.

Roy really wanted to talk to Felicity, but he knew now wasn't the time. "Ladies, I know my boss would be upset to know you were attacked outside the club. Please, come by tomorrow. Drinks will be on the house," he offered.

Felicity smiled at Roy. Diggle had told her that Roy was now aware of Oliver's identity as the vigilante. So far he'd kept his word. Oliver's secret was still safe. "I'll try," she said.

"Is that it?" Buffy asked Officer Lance.

"Yes. Tomorrow I'll need you both to come down to the station and give an official statement," he said.

"Will you be there?" Buffy asked, smiling at him.

"Well, no. I'm off tomorrow," he said. "But any officer can take the report. They'll pass it on to me."

"So you're free tomorrow?" Buffy inquired.

"Free?" Officer Lance asked.

Roy snickered. "I think she's trying to ask you out," he said.

Felicity couldn't help but admire the woman's boldness. Of course, it shouldn't be surprising that a woman with her skills would be bold when it came to men. She wanted to be like that someday.

Lance looked startled and glanced at Buffy who looked amused. "Life's too short to be coy," she said with a shrug. "I'm new in town. I don't know anyone. I thought maybe we could have dinner."

"Well-uh-sure," Lance replied, feeling like a school boy. It'd be a long time since a beautiful woman not related to him wanted to spend time with him.

Buffy smiled in pleasure. "Then we can meet Felicity here for drinks afterward," she suggested.

Felicity gave her a surprised but pleased smile. All the time helping Oliver had caused her to drift away from most of her friends. They'd stopped inviting her out. She'd never had a lot of friends, but the ones she'd managed to cultivate in Starling City had mostly forgotten about her. "If you don't mind a third wheel," she said.

"Nonsense!" Buffy said dismissively. "The more the merrier."

"That's fine," Quentin said. Another person around would probably take off the pressure.

"Well, we should go," Felicity said to Buffy.

"Pick me up at seven," Buffy told Quentin.

"Ah, what room are you in?" he asked, feeling awkward with both Roy and Felicity there observing their exchange.

"Twenty-nine," Buffy said, smiling. He was so adorable when he was flustered.

She opened up Felicity's passenger door and got in. "I'll see you guys tomorrow," Roy said waving at them before leaving.

Quentin walked Felicity around to the driver's side of her car. Before she could open the door, he asked, "I haven't spotted your friend lately. Did he survive the earthquake?"

Felicity wasn't sure how to reply. Finally, she said, "I hope so. I haven't heard from him, though. But I'd like to believe he's still out there somewhere. If he was hurt, I hope he's healing."

"I can't believe what we did. I'm still waking up in a cold sweat," he admitted.

"You and me both," Felicity said. "I just wish we'd known about the second device."

"How could you have known?" he said.

Felicity looked sad a moment thinking about all that had died. "I guess we have to be grateful that we stopped one of them or the destruction would've been much worse," she said. She opened her car door.

"Very true. Be careful out there," Lance said.

Buffy watched Felicity slide into the car. She couldn't help but notice the very serious looking conversation the woman had been having with Officer Lance. "Is everything okay?" she inquired. "You two were looking quite serious there."

"Just reminiscing," Felicity said as she started the car. "I'm good with computers and stuff. Detective Lance called me when he located the device. I talked him through the disarmament since I had access to Queen Consolidated's schematics." She figured there was no harm in telling that to Buffy, a newcomer to the town.

Buffy looked impressed. "Wow! That's amazing!" she said. "I just live a few blocks down the street. But you've had a terrifying experience. Would you like some company?"

Felicity normally wasn't so trusting with strangers but had learned to trust her instincts when it came to people. She had with Oliver and hadn't been wrong. Buffy had a spark, a confidence that made Felicity trust her. She suspected that Buffy had a few secrets of her own. Without Oliver in town, she had time to make a new friend.

"You know I really would," she said, smiling.

******_Chapter End******_

_In several ways Felicity reminds me both Willow and Dawn, so I can totally see Buffy being drawn to her. I hope you liked this. I love reviews! I know you probably missed Oliver, and we will see a bit about what Oliver is up to in the next chapter._


	3. Chapter 3

**I posting three chapters at once to give new readers a real taste of how the story will be. I hope you are enjoying it! Thanks for reading!**

_Chapter 3: Making New Friends_

_******The Next Day*****_

Felicity met Diggle for lunch. Now that he was spending his days guarding Thea, they didn't get to spend as much time together. She missed him. Oliver's absence left a giant whole in her life. One that she didn't realize would leave her so off balanced.

"Thanks for having lunch with me," Felicity said. They were meeting at the cafe around the corner from her work.

"I'm glad you asked. It's not the same not seeing you every day," John said, smiling at her. She'd been a bright and surprising addition to Oliver's quest. Sometimes John believed if Oliver gave her enough time, she could help him more than he realized. Since his only brother's passing, John'd lost that immediate sense of family. Somehow Felicity had quickly become like a little sister to him. He valued their friendship.

"Yeah, I know," she said morosely. Then she brightened. "I made a new friend!" She excitedly filled him in on her adventure the night before.

Diggle frowned as he listened to her tale. "Why didn't you call me?" he asked.

"Well, Buffy saved me. Then she came over to my apartment to hang out and make sure I was okay," Felicity said, flushing with happiness. "I haven't really made a girlfriend since I moved here. Most of the people I work with in IT are guys. She's around your age, but she looks younger. She's got a date tonight with Detective Lance—I mean Officer Lance. I'm never going to get used to calling him that!"

John smiled fondly at her as she rambled. He'd missed her rambles the past few weeks. However, he didn't like knowing she'd almost been hurt. He should've waited for her. "I'm sorry, Felicity. I know how bad the Glades have gotten. I shouldn't have left you alone," John said.

"I was the one that lost track of time!" she said with a rueful grin. "You can make it up to me, though. Why don't you join me at the club tonight? Buffy wanted me to join her and Officer Lance for drinks. I'll feel like less of a third wheel if you're there."

"Sure. It sounds like fun," he said. "I'd like to meet this girl who could single-handedly take out five guys."

"She was incredible!" Felicity said in admiration. "She made it seem so easy. Like they weren't even a challenge for her! The way she threw that rock and knocked out that guy. You should've seen her!"

John frowned. "What did you say her last name was?" he asked.

"Summers. She's from L.A. originally. But she went to high school in that town that got destroyed by the earthquake. Sunnydale," Felicity said.

Recognizing the name, John grew more concerned. "I can't wait to meet her," he said easily, not telling Felicity his concern.

Felicity beamed at him, and she continued to tell him about her evening with Buffy.

After Felicity left, Diggle got out his phone to make some calls. Finally, he found the guy he wanted to reach. Riley Finn.

"Riley? This is John Diggle."

"Diggle? How the hell are you?" Riley asked. "I lost track of you after our last deployment overseas."

"Yeah, you got pulled for that special assignment," John reminded him. "How did that work out?"

"Good," he replied vaguely. "I was sorry to hear about your brother."

"Me, too," John said soberly. "The reason I'm calling is I have a friend who ran into a woman from that town you told me about. Sunnydale."

Riley sat up in the chair he was in. "Sunnydale? What about it?" he asked cautiously.

"Did you know a woman named Buffy Summers?" John asked.

Riley was silent a moment. He was a happily married man with two kids, but never would he forget the woman who changed his life. "Yes, I knew her," he admitted. "She's an ex-girlfriend of mine."

"Really?" John asked in surprise. He hadn't expected that.

"Yes, she's an amazing woman," Riley said.

A memory clicked in John. "Is she the woman you almost destroyed your career over?" he asked.

"She's the one," he confirmed. "And worth it."

Riley's words gave John pause. "She took out five would be muggers who were trying to hurt a friend of mine. Does that surprise you?" John asked.

"No. She put me on my ass more than once," Riley shared.

"You? The king of special assignments?" John asked in surprise. Riley was as tough as they come.

"If you're wanting to know if Buffy's trustworthy, the answer is yes. There's not a person alive that I'd want watching my back more than Buffy. And if you tell my wife I said that, I'll kill you," Riley said.

John chuckled. "Is she ex-military?" John asked.

"Not exactly. She worked with us on a few assignments," Riley shared. "She doesn't take orders well. She's more like a general than a soldier. Buffy Summers isn't like other women."

"What do you mean?" Diggle asked, suspicious.

"Let's just say that the world isn't exactly what you think it is. There are things out there that defy the imagination. There is evil that needs to be destroyed that most humans aren't equipped to deal with, and it's Buffy's job is to deal with it," Riley explained.

"How am I supposed to decipher that?" Diggle asked in outrage.

"It's the best I can do. All my dealings with Buffy Summers are classified. I can't tell you more than that," Riley said. "But I can tell you this. Buffy is the best friend anyone could have. If you have a friend that has met her, they're a very lucky person."

Diggle spoke a bit more with his old friend and hung up the phone. Now he was more intrigued than ever to meet the woman Riley almost gave up the army for.

******_A Few Hours Later******_

Buffy decided that she'd waited long enough to reveal herself to Thea. Starling City and all its dysfunctionality was starting to get to her. Last night at Felicity's, she'd actually started to enjoy herself. The sweet, awkward young woman reminded her so much of both Willow and her sister Dawn that she'd went home and called them both. They both were in England. They had put down roots and made a life for themselves. Buffy felt Faith was probably the only one who truly got the restlessness that filled her. Faith spent her time traveling and putting out fires for the Council. Buffy dealt with recruitment. Neither woman had much luck at maintaining a relationship with a man or starting a family of their own. Most days Buffy was okay with that. Sometimes, though, she longed for something more. She didn't necessarily wish there was an apocalypse to stop, but she missed both the adrenal rush and the action apocalypses brought. Buffy wasn't quite sure what that said about her, however.

It was four in the afternoon when she walked into Verdant. "We're not open yet," the bartender said.

"I'm looking for your manager," Buffy said.

Roy spotted her and waved. "She's okay, Tony," he said to the bartender. He smiled and walked to her. "Good to see you again. What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping to talk to Thea," Buffy said.

"Do you know her?" Roy asked in surprise.

"Not exactly," Buffy said. "I have something I need to discuss with her."

"Roy? Who's this?" Thea asked as she came into their line of sight.

"This is the woman I was telling you about last night. The one that saved Felicity from muggers," Roy said. "This is Thea."

"Buffy," Buffy said, greeting her with a friendly smile.

"Do you need a job? We could use another bouncer," Thea said with a grin. "I totally love the idea of a female bouncer!"

Roy grinned. "That would rock!" he agreed.

"The truck's here," Tony said.

"Excuse me. I need to unload that," Roy said. "I hope to see you tonight, Buffy."

She smiled at him. Before Buffy could speak, Thea asked, "So would you like the job?"

"You're serious?" Buffy asked in surprise. Maybe working legitimately with Thea would give her a chance to get to know the woman and find out if recruiting her would be best for her or not.

"Sure. Why not?" Thea asked with a grin.

"Well, I sort of have a job that requires me to travel. That's why I'm in town," Buffy said.

"No big deal. If you need time off, just let me know. We close at 2am. I could use you from ten to two," Thea said.

Buffy thought about a moment before nodding. "Okay. Sounds fun. I've never been a bouncer before," she said with a grin.

"You get to throw obnoxious drunks out on their asses. It's a fun gig," Thea said. "Can you start tonight?"

"Well, I sort of have a date and plans to meet a friend here later for drinks," Buffy said.

"Then tomorrow will be fine. Who's the lucky guy?" Thea asked.

"A very cute police officer who took our statement last night," Buffy shared, smiling at the memory of the adorable Officer Lance.

"Have fun. I'll look for you," Thea said.

Buffy left the club in bemusement. A bouncer? She didn't think Giles would approve! Thinking of Giles, she called him and filled him in on what had been happening with her in Starling City.

"So the girl has shown no signs that she is aware of her slayer powers?" Giles asked.

"So far no. I think if I work for her, I'll find out for sure. I don't think she's really been in a position where she had to use any extra strength. Every thing is pretty much handed to her. She hardly even opens her own doors," Buffy said with a snicker. "Faith would totally have a field day with her!"

"She's not drawn any supernatural elements to her yet? Have you encountered any vampires there?" Giles asked.

"No, not yet. The city is in such upheaval that the human criminal element is very active. I don't know if Thea's ever encountered any supernatural creatures. That's one of the things I hope to discover while working for her," Buffy said.

"Tread carefully. A girl such as she won't take this news well," Giles advised.

Buffy hung up the phone. She wasn't quite sure if Thea was as clueless as she appeared or not. However, she would find out.

*****_That Night*****_

Quentin still wasn't quite sure how he'd managed to get a date with an incredibly beautiful woman. However, it'd been too long since he'd had anything to look forward to, so he was getting ready when his doorbell rang.

He went to answer it. "Hey, Dad," Laurel said, smiling at him. She saw him dressed in nice clothes and frowned. "Oh, do you have plans? I thought we could grab dinner."

"Good to see you, sweetheart," he said. "But I can't tonight. How about tomorrow for lunch?"

"That'll work," she said. "So what's up?"

He walked back to the bathroom, knowing that she'd follow. "Your old dad here has a date," he said with a grin.

Laurel blinked in surprise. "A date? You?" she asked.

"Try not to seem so surprised!" he said.

"You actually asked someone out?" she asked in disbelief. Her dad hadn't dated at all since her parents' divorce.

"Well, no. She asked me," Quentin admitted with a rueful grin.

Immediately, Laurel was suspicious. "She asked you? Does she know you're a cop?" Laurel inquired.

Quentin laughed at his predictable daughter. "Yes. I was taking her statement at the time," he shared.

"You're going out with a criminal?" Laurel asked in outrage.

"Relax, honey. I'm not that desperate!" he said said as he combed his hair. "Buffy was a witness to an attempted mugging. Actually, she stopped the mugging. She's pretty amazing."

Laurel relaxed slightly. "Oh," she said. "Well, that's good. I hope you have a good time. I want to hear all about it tomorrow at lunch." She kissed her dad's cheek, trying not to worry about some bimbo named Buffy hurting the only family she had left. Her mom had disappeared not long after her sister died. He was all she had, and as much as they fought, she'd die to protect him.

"Okay. I'll pick you up," he said. She waved good-bye and let herself out.

A half hour later, he was with Buffy at the restaurant he'd chosen. "I hope you like Italian," Quentin said as he held her chair out.

"Who doesn't?" she replied with an easy smile.

She looked stunning in a short black sleeveless dress that hugged her perfect figure. When he'd first laid eyes on her, he was struck dumb. She laughed in pleasure at his reaction, taking it as a compliment. Now he found his voice again. "You are breathtaking," he finally told her.

"Thanks! It's been a while since I've had a reason to pull out my black dress. I don't bring many date appropriate clothes with me when I travel," Buffy admitted.

"Do you travel a lot?" Quentin asked.

Buffy nodded. Then she began to share as much of herself as she could. She'd gotten good at it over the years, talking without revealing too much. She'd discovered that if she had a ready smile and said a lot people rarely realized how much she actually said about herself. However, she'd not taken into account that Quentin was no one's fool. When their server cleared their dinner plates, Quentin gave her a penetrating look and asked, "Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me much at all?"

"I don't think everything should be shared during a first date. I might bore you," Buffy teased.

Quentin laughed. "I doubt that could ever happen. But I can respect keeping a few secrets. I won't go into any details about my ex-wife," he said. No need to tell her that he'd destroyed his marriage by drowning his sorrow in the bottom of a bottle. That would probably guarantee there wouldn't be a second date. As he gazed into her green eyes, he hoped very much there'd be another.

Buffy smiled, relieved. They spent the dinner enjoying the company of another person. Both spent too much time alone these days. Buffy had spent all of her life surrounded by friends. It was only since she hit her thirties that she'd been spending more and more time solo. Knowing, though, her friends and her sister were there whenever she needed them made it not so bad.

When dinner was over and they were walking to his car, Buffy reached out to take his hand. His surprised smile touched her. Buffy had a feeling that he'd not been with anyone since his wife left him. That fact made the moment all the sweeter. They walked hand in hand to his car.

*******_The Island*******_

Oliver Queen sat on a peak over looking the water and watched the sun rise. The beauty of it washed over him. For some reason, the sun on the island that he'd called home for five years seemed to burn brighter than back in Starling City. He knew it wasn't sun rise yet back home, but he looked at the brightening horizon and thought of his family. He thought of Diggle and Felicity. He felt their absence most keenly.

Oliver had traveled for a few weeks after he left Starling City. He was trying to out run the ghosts that seemed determined to break him. Eventually, he found himself back on the island he had escaped a year ago. He knew his willing presence on the island revealed just how broken he still was. However, this time he had resources. He had a satellite radio and arrangements made to easily get off the island. It was no longer a prison but a refuge.

He pulled out his cell phone. Obviously, it didn't work on the island, but he scrolled through his photos. He gazed at his mother and Thea. Guilt for leaving his sister to face everything alone ate at him. She deserved better than a brother like him. He knew John probably understood him better than anyone. He'd been through war. He'd lost people and been forced to kill to survive. It was why they worked so well together. John, though, still had his soul in tact. Oliver wasn't so sure he did. But John gave him hope that some day he'd be whole again.

The last photo he looked at was Felicity's. He had never expected someone like her. She was as different from any other woman as she could be. Maybe that's what drew him to her. There were no ghosts associated with her. When she looked at him, she only saw who he was now. She wasn't waiting for him to turn into his old self. His old friends and family couldn't get that. The old him was dead. He could never go back to the self-centered, care free, spoiled man he'd once been. Living for pleasure the way he'd once had was now so foreign to him that he didn't know some days how he pretended so well.

He scrolled to the one photo he had of him with both Felicity and Diggle. Carly had snapped it on Felicity's phone one day at lunch. Felicity had sent it to him. He had been struck by how unguarded he was in the photo. The photo revealed to him more than anything how close he'd allowed the two to get to him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. People close to him had a bad habit of getting killed. They were better off without him. He put away the phone, pushing aside his regret.

_******Verdant*******_

Felicity walked into the club with Diggle at her side. The music was loud, but it wasn't ten yet. She knew the insanity would escalate in another hour or so. She looked for Buffy and spotted her at a corner table with Quentin. She grabbed Diggle's hand and pulled him toward Buffy and Quentin.

Buffy smiled when Felicity called out her name. She blinked in surprise at the very large and attractive black man by her side. He seemed like a very unlikely companion of Felicity's. He was even more imposing than her friend Robin Wood.

"Glad you could make it!" Buffy said. "I love your dress." Felicity had on a surprisingly sexy pink dress that hugged her petite figure.

"Yours, too," Felicity said. "This is my friend John Diggle. John this is Buffy. You know Quentin."

John shook her hand and nodded to Quentin.

"What is Oliver Queen's bodyguard doing with you?" Quentin asked suspiciously.

Felicity had, of course, prepared for the too observant man's question. "I'm friends with his girlfriend Carly. She had to work tonight, and she said I could borrow Dig so that I didn't feel like a third wheel," she explained, looking sheepish.

John couldn't help but grin. For a woman that was constantly sticking her foot in her mouth, she was surprisingly good at cover stories. Much more so than Oliver. The two sat down on the two open chairs at the table. Felicity sat next to Buffy. "So how was dinner?" she asked them.

"Great!" Buffy said, smiling at Quentin. She looked at John. "So you're a security guard?"

"I'm not sure security guard quite covers what Mr. Diggle is. He's been quite valuable to the Queen family. He's saved Oliver's life and my own daughter's at least once," Quentin said, smiling at the man he respected.

"Impressive," Buffy said. She looked at the way the man held himself. "Ex-military?"

John nodded. "Special Forces. I actually know a friend of yours," John said.

"Really?" Buffy asked in surprise. Then she smiled in realization. "You know Riley Finn?"

"Who's that?" Quentin asked.

"He was my T. A. in college. We dated for awhile," Buffy said. She laughed. "That was a life time ago. Back when Sunnydale still existed."

"It must suck having your home town destroyed," Felicity said in sympathy.

Buffy's eyes took on a hard glint. "Some towns are so evil in their core that total destruction is the only solution," she said.

Her words shocked her audience, who was still dealing with the horror of the Glades near destruction. "How can you say that?" Felicity asked in dismay. "Innocent always suffer when evil people die! That kind of talk is what Malcolm Merlyn believed when he tried to destroy the Glades."

Buffy waved her hand. "Oh, Sunnydale was basically deserted before the big quake hit. There were too many signs that it was coming. I promise it wasn't the same thing at all," she said. No use explaining that she had inadvertently caused the towns utter destruction when Spike had closed the hellmouth permanently.

"That's fortunate," Quentin said.

Buffy nodded. "So how's Riley doing?" she asked John. "I haven't talked to him in a few years."

"Good. He has two kids. He told me that most of his dealings with you are classified," John revealed.

Buffy had a lot of secrets, but she wasn't military. She felt no sense of loyalty to keeping their secrets. "He was a part of this joint civilian/military task force that did insane experiments on some of the more evil members of my town. Trying to modify evil behavior with microchips and stuff in their head. When Riley realized how handy I was in a fight, he recruited me. But his boss, Dr. Walsh, was a real whack job. She tried to kill me when I began asking too many questions. I had Riley asking questions. She'd even been doing experiments on Riley and his squad without their knowledge. Riley almost died himself."

John was shocked that she'd revealed so much classified information. "Should you be telling me that?" he asked.

Buffy shrugged, fire in her eyes when she thought of Adam, Maggie's Frankenstein like creation and the destruction he'd unleashed. "I'm not military. I have no loyalty to those people that created a monster that almost killed me and my friends. I'm sure they managed to cover up what they did. I didn't go to the press over it, but you don't strike me as someone that will go running with tales of government conspiracies," she said.

"No," he said. He examined the woman. She didn't make sense. She was beautiful but radiated this intensity and energy that was more than a little familiar to John. The hardness that momentarily came into her eyes when discussing the military had taken him by surprise. "I know how to keep secrets."

"Riley, though, loved the military enough to forgive and went back to them," Buffy said, unable to quite disguise the bitterness.

"A life of service can become who you are," John said knowingly.

"The military isn't the only way you can have a life of service," Buffy countered. She looked at Quentin and gave him a warm smile. "Quentin can testify to that."

Quentin returned her smile. "I hadn't thought of being a cop as that, but it does take a certain amount of dedication, especially now. The Glades have become so much worse since the quake," Quentin said.

"So how did you learn to be so valuable in a fight? Riley told me you'd put him on his ass more than once. And he's one of the most skilled operatives I've ever known," John said, examining her with curious eyes.

Buffy gave him an easy smile. "Guys always get suspicious when a girl is more capable than them," she said. "I'm gifted. What can I say?" She shrugged, as if used to the question and amused by it.

"I would like a drink," Felicity said, wanting to dispel the sudden tension John's questions had caused. "What are you drinking?"

"A martini," Buffy said.

"A beer," Quentin said.

"Dig and I will go get some drinks," Felicity said, getting up. John followed her to the bar. She turned to him. "What's with the suspicion?" she asked him with narrowed eyes.

"What?" he asked. "I was just getting to know your friend."

"Yeah, right. I know you, John. I know that look!" Felicity said in disapproval.

"My friend told me that your friend Buffy was trustworthy. He said he wouldn't want anyone else guarding his back. I don't get it. The woman is too small and weak looking to be someone that strong. It doesn't make sense. I sense trouble from her," John said.

"She saved my life. I know exactly how capable she is!" Felicity said. She waved at Roy, who was behind the bar. She gave him her drink order, and he refused her money when she tried to pay. Smiling her thanks, she turned back to John. "Maybe you're only used to macho men like Oliver that are good in a fight. But women are just as capable!"

"I didn't say they weren't. But women are not as physically strong as men as a rule. That's just a fact of biology. I've met women who were, though. I know they can be. But those women are usually close to six foot. Not nearly a foot shorter!" he said. "That's not normal!"

"So she's not normal. So what? Since when is that a crime?" Felicity said. "Please, don't scare her off. I like her."

John knew that he owed it to her and Oliver to watch out for Felicity, but he didn't want to upset her. "I'll behave," he said.

They went back to the table carrying drinks. After chatting for another ten minutes or so, Buffy pulled Quentin onto the dance floor.

Felicity grinned at the sight. Quentin obviously hadn't been dancing in a long time. He didn't quite know what to do with the too fast song playing. However, that didn't stop him from smiling at the sight of Buffy's obvious enjoyment of the song.

"They're cute together," she said observing them.

"She looks a lot younger," John observed.

"Quentin is not that old. He obviously became a father very young. He's still very attractive," Felicity observed. "Buffy is your age. I hope I look that good ten years or so from now."

"Do you want to dance?" John asked her, wanting her to have a good time. She deserved it.

Her eyes lit up and she jumped up. The two friends joined Buffy and Quentin on the dance floor. They were too busy having fun to notice that Laurel Lance had come into the club with two of her friends.

Laurel's friends had convinced her that she'd been working too hard since she'd began working for the D.A.'s office. They'd dragged her to Oliver and Tommy's club. Laurel hadn't wanted to come to the place that had one time been very important to Tommy. However, she was tired of moping at home alone, so she'd reluctantly gave in. They'd just ordered drinks when her friend Michelle said, "Isn't that your dad?"

Laurel looked and was more than a bit surprised to see her dad on the floor dancing with a very beautiful young looking blonde. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "What is he thinking?"

"That the woman is hot and it's been a long time since he's been laid!" her friend Cindy said with a snicker.

Laurel groaned. "Please stop! Not an image any daughter wants!" she complained.

"Face it, Laurel. Your dad is hot!" Michelle said. "Obviously that girl noticed."

Laurel had never seen her father dancing or looking so relaxed. She frowned, unsure how she felt. As they took their drinks to an open table, she kept watching. Eventually, she saw Buffy walk off the dance floor with another woman who looked familiar to Laurel. They were heading to the bathroom. Laurel decided she needed to meet this woman. She got up to follow them.

Buffy and Felicity were chatting as they entered the semi-dark hallway that led to the bathroom. When Buffy felt someone's hand reaching across her neck toward her shoulder, she just reacted on instinct. In a flash, she turned and had the person slammed against the wall by her throat.

Felicity gasped when she recognized the woman Buffy had pinned. "Oh, God! That's Laurel! Let her go!" she exclaimed.

Laurel's eyes were wide with fear as the much smaller woman released her and her feet were back on the ground. "How-how did you do that?" she asked in fright.

Buffy groaned. When was she going to learn to not always react? "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "You shouldn't sneak up on people!"

"I was just trying to tap your shoulder and get your attention before you entered the bathroom!" Laurel said in an outraged tone.

Felicity agreed that Buffy's reaction had been over the top. However, she'd been around Oliver too long to be as disturbed as Laurel. She recognized signs of someone who'd been in too many battles to react normally. However, Buffy's display of strength had taken her off guard. She'd had Laurel slightly off the ground. "Buffy's from a very violent town. She gets a bit paranoid," Felicity said, trying to explain her reaction. "Buffy, this is Laurel Lance, Quentin's daughter."

Buffy wanted to groan. Figures. "Oh God! I'm so sorry!" she said with a repentant wince.

"No harm, I guess," Laurel said, putting her hand on her throat. She walked into the bathroom to examine her neck in the mirror.

Buffy blanched. Not a way to make a good impression. She sighed. Oh, well. It wouldn't be the first time she scared off a guy.

"I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Felicity. I know your dad. I work for Oliver Queen," Felicity said.

"Oh, right. I knew you looked familiar," Laurel said. The mention of Oliver made her uncomfortable. She hadn't really been able to look at him at Tommy's funeral. Guilt for what they'd done the night before Tommy died haunted her. She knew sleeping with Oliver hadn't been cheating, but Tommy hadn't believed she loved him. Sleeping with Oliver only proved that. But she had loved Tommy. It was just her feelings for Oliver were such a confusing mess. She'd been relieved when he'd left town. Knowing she wasn't going to run into him around town had eased some of the tension she carried.

Felicity was smoothing out her hair, trying to figure out how to deal with this very awkward moment. However, Laurel looked at Buffy with a look that spoke volumes. "So why are you here with my dad? Isn't he a little old for you? You know he doesn't have any money," she shared.

Buffy couldn't help but laugh. Did she look like a gold digger? That was a new one. "I'm not as young as I look," she said. "Your dad was very kind to me. I'm new in town. I asked him to dinner. I'm not planning a wedding, so you can relax."

"My dad doesn't have any experience with women like you," Laurel said through narrowed eyes.

Buffy lost her smile. "I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I'll let it slide since I inadvertently assaulted you. You don't know me. You love your dad. I can get the instinct that compels you to be protective," Buffy said. "But I mean your father no harm, so you don't have to worry. We just had dinner. We are having a nice time. I'm sorry for scaring you." She looked at Felicity. "Are you ready?" Felicity nodded and the two headed out of the bathroom.

Laurel decided to follow them to her father's table. Quentin was surprised to see his daughter, but he smiled warmly at her. "Laurel! I didn't know you were going to be here," he said, more than surprised that she'd come to Tommy's club.

"It wasn't my choice. Friends dragged me here. Imagine my surprise to see my father dancing on the dance floor," Laurel said, a note of disapproval in her voice.

Buffy sat down next to Quentin, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Laurel snuck up on my in the hall outside the restrooms. I sort of overreacted," Buffy said with a rueful half smile.

"Overreacted? That's an understatement! You had me by the throat against the wall!" Laurel exclaimed, her outrage coming back to her.

Quentin and John both showed their surprise as they looked back and forth between the two women.

"It's not a good idea to sneak up on someone you don't know," Buffy said coolly.

"Laurel's fine. Buffy apologized," Felicity said quickly. She glanced at John for help.

"I've done that a time or two myself. When I first came back from Afghanistan," John said. He examined Buffy closely. She wasn't ex-military, but her reaction spoke of someone that had been to war.

"You're a war vet?" Laurel asked Buffy.

"Not exactly, but I've been in more than a few battles," she said, her eyes revealing a glimmer of something they couldn't quite decipher. Her eyes held pain and lost. "I was fifteen the first time someone tried to kill me. It was one of many, many times."

Her revelation shocked her audience and served to silence Laurel's suspicions momentarily.

"That's awful!" Felicity exclaimed in sympathy. "No wonder you're so good at protecting yourself."

Laurel, though, couldn't quite shake her disapproval. "In my experience, people that are nearly killed or often the victim of violence bring it on themselves," she said with conviction.

Buffy sometimes wondered if she brought a lot of things onto herself. Just being the slayer drew violence to her. She'd accepted that a long time ago. However, she wasn't about to make excuses to a woman she didn't know. She shrugged. "I suppose that's true. I tend to always come back swinging. It pisses people off," she admitted. Her eyes held Laurel's unflinchingly.

Laurel finally looked away. The woman's eyes were much older than the rest of her. "Well, I should get back to my friends," she said. "I'll see you at lunch tomorrow, Dad."

"Have fun, sweetheart," Quentin said. He looked at Buffy. "I guess we can skip the awkward meet the daughter dinner."

Buffy laughed. "I think things can only improve from here."

"They couldn't get any worse!" Felicity added, shaking her head.

"Don't worry about Laurel. She's always a bit high strung," Quentin said. "She'll get over it." He tried not to think about dating a woman that could so easily pin his very capable daughter. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her walking alone in the Glades anymore.

A short time later, Thea Queen stopped at their table. She greeted John, who introduced her to Felicity. Thea had seen the woman a few times, but formal introductions had never taken place.

"Hi," Felicity said, smiling at her. It was strange. She knew everything there was to know about Thea, but she was a virtual stranger to Oliver's only sister.

"So you guys know my new bouncer?" Thea asked curiously, glancing at Buffy.

"What?" Felicity asked in surprise.

"Oh, yeah. I was in here earlier. Roy introduced me, and she offered me a job," Buffy said.

"Does that mean you're going to stay in town?" Quentin asked hopefully.

"For a while," Buffy replied.

Felicity smiled happily. "That's so great!" she said. "Buffy is amazing!"

"So I hear," Thea said with a friendly smile. "I'll see myself tomorrow. Drinks are on the house tonight. Enjoy yourselves."

"A bouncer?" John asked in bemusement.

Buffy grinned. "Yeah, I know. It's pretty funny, isn't it? But I've never been a bouncer before. She said she didn't care if I needed to travel for my other job. I thought it might be fun," she shared.

"Other job?" John asked. "What other job do you have?"

"I'm sort of a head hunter for this organization that's based in England," Buffy said vaguely. "I recruit potential clients. I'm here in Starling City, hoping to recruit someone."

John started to ask more questions but a look from Felicity silenced him, so he simply nodded.

Buffy sighed. John was too inquisitive. So was Quentin. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.

******_Chapter end******_

_I'd really love it if you took a moment to review! Thanks!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Learning to Fight

********_A Week Later*******_

Buffy had a mostly uneventful week after her date with Quentin. She'd went to the movies once with Felicity, Thea, and Roy and had coffee once with Quentin. It was hard for her to keep him at a distance, but she didn't want to constantly lie to an obviously honest man. Her job as a bouncer was surprisingly fun. She got to listen to the music and escort overly boisterous guests to the door. Most gave her very little trouble—mainly because they were too busy hitting on her.

The more time she spent with Thea, the more she liked her. She wasn't a stern boss, but she was no one's fool. The only hint of slayer strength she'd detected was her lifting large boxes of alcohol, but normally her boyfriend took them from her before she could get very far. Roy seemed to be a stand-up guy. He was from the Glades and seemed very affected by the growing violence and devastation in his neighborhood. Buffy had overheard them arguing more than once about Roy's insistence in stopping crime he encountered. Thea had already told her about his desire to save a bunch of people on a bus the night the earthquake hit. When Buffy had inquired on whether or not she'd wanted to lend a hand, Thea had looked surprised. The idea honestly had never occurred to the woman. She did end up assisting with getting the people out of the bus, but Buffy could tell she only did so to help her boyfriend.

Her behavior wasn't very slayer-like. Most slayers instinctively threw themselves into battle. Roy had the instincts of a slayer—at least when it came to wanting to help others. He had told Buffy about his encounter with the Hood and how he wanted to make a difference like the vigilante. His earnest desire to help when he was entirely out of his depth reminded Buffy so much of Xander that she warmed to him instantly. However, she knew she'd have to keep an eye on him or he'd get himself hurt.

This desire to keep him safe was what prompt her to follow him outside the backdoor of the bar one day after the club had closed. He made it two blocks away before he decided to stop some guys from breaking into a car. Buffy stood back in the shadows and watched as he enthusiastically took on the three guys. He wasn't overly skilled but could take a hit. At first, he was holding his own. Then one of the guys pinned his arms, so the others could hit him. That's when Buffy stepped out of the shadows.

"Three against one. That's not very nice," she said.

The guys looked up. So did Roy. He glared at her. "I got this!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I can see that," Buffy said, flashing him a grin. "How about I lend you a hand?" She stepped up to one of the guys, who immediately tried to grab her.

Roy watched as his girlfriend's new bouncer effortlessly dispatched two of the guys. He turned and hit the other hard. The guy went down. "I told you I was fine!" he said, giving her a disgruntled look.

She took out her phone to dial 9-1-1.

"What are you doing?" Roy asked.

"Calling the cops," Buffy said.

Roy reached and tried to grab her phone. She stepped back and squelched his second grab with a look. He backed off but didn't give up. "Don't call the cops! They'll just bring trouble for both of us!" he insisted.

Buffy frowned but dialed another number. Roy opened his mouth again to protest. She held up her hand for silence. "Quentin, are you on duty? I caught some guys beating up Roy, who caught them breaking into a car," Buffy said. "The corner of third and Wabash...Yes, I'm fine...Yes...Okay..." She hung up the phone. "Quentin is just around the corner. He'll be here in a minute."

"Cops always bring trouble," Roy said in annoyance.

"Well, this is a human problem. Cops deal with human criminals," Buffy said with a shrug.

Roy frowned in confusion. "What other kinds of criminals are there besides humans?" he asked.

Buffy winked at him. "Oh, you'd be surprised," she said. She knew Giles would definitely not approve of her getting involved in human concerns like this. However, Starling City was coming apart at the seams. Was she supposed to stand back and do nothing? Roy was barely a man and felt compelled to risk his life to try and help the people in this city. Buffy was more capable than he was. How could she not do something?

Quentin appeared with another cop. He increased his pace when he spotted them. He glanced at Buffy in concern. "Are you okay?" he asked. He shined his flash light along her face and down her body, checking for injuries.

"I'm fine, too," Roy couldn't resist announcing. The flashlight shined on him.

"I take it the guys were using Harper for a punching bag?" Quentin asked, gesturing to the guys that were starting to get up. The other cop began reading them their rights. Quentin bent down and grabbed the closest one, hauling him to his feet.

"Yep," Buffy said.

"I saw them breaking into that car," Roy said, pointing to the car.

"And you just had to play hero?" Quentin said sourly. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"Well, someone's got to do something! The city has not increased patrols since the quake even though crime has skyrocketed!" Roy said angrily.

"We lost over a dozen good cops in the quake. Guys that aren't easy to replace!" Quentin said harshly. "The department is doing the best that it can!"

"Hey, it's okay. No one's blaming you," Buffy said easily.

"Speak for yourself," Roy said, still glaring at Quentin.

"Be nice before I regret helping you," Buffy warned, giving him a hard look.

Roy looked sullen but didn't say anything.

Quentin reached and grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her a short distance away from Roy. He looked at her in concern. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

Buffy found his worry sweet and smiled at him warmly. "I'm fine. I really do know how to take care of myself," she assured him.

He sighed in resignation, running a hand down his face in frustration. "It's not your job to police this city. It's mine. I know you're capable, but the more you get involved in the crime in this city, the greater your chances of getting hurt," he said.

Buffy leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You're very sweet. I'll be careful. But I'm not going to walk by and let someone be hurt, especially if it's someone I know," she said.

"Maybe you can at least use your influence to talk some sense into the kid? He clearly doesn't have your skill set," Quentin said, giving Roy a disapproving frown.

"That I will gladly do," Buffy said, smiling. "Can I take him back to his girlfriend? Thea will be giving him a stern tongue latching, I know!"

"Yes," he said. He wanted to ask her out again, but there was no privacy. Instead, he said, "Have a good night."

"You, too," she said. She grabbed Roy's arm and steered him in the direction of the club.

When they were a block down the street, Roy stopped and faced her. "How do you do that?" he asked.

"I have twenty years experience fighting off very bad guys. Leave it to the professionals," she said. She grabbed his arm again and tugged him down the street.

"Will you teach me to fight like that?" he asked hopefully.

"I'll think about it," she said. A short time later, she left him with Thea, who wasted no time in scolding him while hugging him tight. Buffy slipped away before Thea could focus that energy on her. As she walked back to her place, trying to think of a way to deal with both Thea and Roy.

*****_Three Days Later*****_

Felicity was down in the foundry working on a new program when Diggle came in.

"Felicity, how's the program coming along?" he asked.

"Good. If Oliver accesses his trust, I'll have his location," she said with satisfaction. She and John had decided that they needed to know where to find Oliver. They'd only heard from him the one time since he'd left. Felicity was worried. John wasn't really, but he agreed that it was a good idea that they knew were Oliver was.

"Spent any more time with your new friend Buffy?" Diggle asked, curious.

"We went to the movies last week with Thea and Roy," she said. "I could tell that Roy wanted to ask me a lot of questions about Oliver. He must've figured out I was helping him."

"What did he say?" Diggle wondered.

"Nothing. We were never alone," she said. "We probably should have a talk with him soon. I'm afraid he might say something to Thea."

"Yes, that's the last thing we need," John agreed.

"Well, the club isn't in full swing yet. I'll go upstairs and see if I can talk to him," Felicity said.

"Don't let Thea see you come from down here. I'm not sure how we'd explain this place," Diggle said.

"It's a good thing Oliver put that key lock in place. So far she hasn't shown any interest in exploring the basement," Felicity remarked. "Let's hope that doesn't change."

"It probably won't if she doesn't see you coming out that particular door!" Diggle said meaningfully.

"Don't worry. I'll go around," Felicity said. She grabbed her purse. "I'll call you later." She got up and walked to the side exit.

It was barely seven, so the club was not full. She went to the bartender and asked where Roy was. He pointed upstairs. "He's with the boss."

Felicity thanked him and made her way upstairs to the manager's office. As she approached, she could hear Roy arguing with Thea.

"Why are you being like this?" Roy asked. "You don't want me to get hurt. Buffy says she'll teach me how to fight better."

"I don't want you fighting at all!" Thea said adamantly.

"It's not my fault the Glades have collapsed! I live here, Thea. Maybe you're okay with walking down the street and ignoring the hurting, but I'm not built that way!" he exclaimed in irritation. "Oh, wait. I forgot you don't walk anywhere. You have your own driver!"

Felicity decided that she should make her presence known before things got worse. She knocked on the door.

"Come in," Thea said, still glaring at Roy.

"Sorry, to interrupt," Felicity said.

"It's fine. You stopped Roy from being a bigger jackass than he already is," Thea said crossly.

Roy sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. You just make me crazy!" He walked over to her and reached out and took her hand.

"Is it so wrong of me to not want you to be hurt? I lost my father. I lost my brother for five years. He came back to me, but he's not the same. His body is covered in scars. Violence changes a person," she said quietly.

Felicity blinked in surprise at her words. She'd never heard Thea acknowledge what Oliver went through. She hadn't been aware Thea really knew much. Then again the changes in Oliver were too severe for anyone close to him to not notice.

"It won't change me. Oliver was a victim. I'm not going to be. I want to help people," Roy said with conviction.

Thea looked at her boyfriend. She loved that he was so brave and selfless, but she was terrified of losing another person she loved. Tommy's death was too fresh. "Why don't you ask John to train you? He was like in the army or something. He's saved Laurel's life and Oliver's more than once," Thea suggested.

"He was Special Forces," Felicity couldn't help adding.

"Well, I've not seen him in action. I've seen Buffy. She's incredible. It's like she's not even a woman," Roy said.

His comments had both women glaring at him. Wincing, he quickly said, "Sorry!"

"Diggle is downstairs. Roy and I will talk to him. It's better that he know how to protect himself, don't you think?" Felicity said to Thea.

Thea sighed in resignation. "I suppose."

"And Buffy's amazing. I'm telling you. We should have her come over your place since you have all that space tomorrow. Your ballroom has a lot of open space," Roy pointed out. "Or the gym."

"Fine. Tomorrow morning," Thea said, giving in.

Roy grinned happily and kissed her before following Felicity out the door. As they walked down the stairs, Felicity said, "So I wanted to talk to you about Oliver's secret you discovered."

Roy looked surprised and then grinned eagerly. "Really? I have like a million questions!" Roy said.

"Do you think you can take a break before it gets too busy?" Felicity asked.

"Sure. Let me tell the bartender," Roy said. He walked over and said a few words to the guy. Then he made it back to her side. "I'm good to go. I got a half hour."

"Let's go to some place quieter. My car is out back," Felicity said. She decided they should just go down to Big Belly Burger and grab a quick bite to eat while they talked. After they placed their order, Roy wasted no time asking his questions.

"So when's Oliver coming back? Do you think he'll let me be a part of his team?" Roy asked excitedly.

"I honestly can't speak of that. Oliver was pretty upset when he left. He came to this city with a goal. He wanted to stop some bad guys on this list his dad gave him. He felt he owed it to his dad because his dad was a willing participant in what Merlyn had planned. Like his mom, his dad wanted out too late. Merlyn had the Gambit sabotaged," Felicity shared.

Roy shook his head in disgust. "Rich people are messed up," he said.

"Says the guy who's been arrested more than once for petty larceny," Felicity pointed out with a grin.

Roy gave her a sheepish grin. "So how did you get involved with Oliver?" he asked.

Felicity filled him in on how she became a part of the team. He listened without interrupting.

"I'm working on locating Oliver so that we can track him down if a need arrives. Dig and I want to make sure you don't go telling Thea what you know," Felicity said. "Thea has enough to deal with right now. I'm not sure how she'd handle knowing her brother was the vigilante."

Roy shook his head. "I'm not sure how _I _can handle the truth about Oliver," he remarked. "It's hard to wrap your mind around. He's got this entire facade that is really just a mask. Thea has no idea who her brother is."

"The brother she knew is still there. He's just different," Felicity insisted. "He doesn't want his family or Laurel to know know who he is. When Tommy found out, he called him a murderer. When Tommy died, they weren't exactly friends again. I think that hurt him the most, knowing Tommy died before he forgave Oliver. It made things worse when Oliver had to lie to Tommy before he died. Tommy asked him if he'd killed his dad. Oliver told him no."

Roy grimaced. "Man, that blows!" Roy said with sympathy. "I hadn't really thought about how hard it might've been for him. Before I knew his secret, I just thought he was a giant asshole. He looks through me. Or like I'm not good enough for Thea."

"No man would be good enough for Thea," Felicity said with a knowing smile. "He loves her more than anyone."

Roy chuckled. "You're probably right," he said. "It's easier now that I know. I get that it's not really me. The guy's just got a lot on his mind."

They food arrived, so they spent a few minutes eating in silence. Finally, Felicity asked, "So are you serious about having Buffy and Digs train you?"

Roy nodded. "I was hoping I could get the Hood to, but since he turned out to be Thea's brother and skipped town, I guess they'll have to do," he said with a grin.

"Well, Digs is amazing. Who do you think trains with Oliver?" Felicity said.

"Yeah, I know. I saw them training at Thea's house. They looked like they were trying to kill each other!"

"They're pretty intense," Felicity said in agreement. "I'll call Buffy and see if she wants to join you tomorrow. What time?"

"How about eleven?" Roy asked. "You're going to come, too, right?"

"I have to work," Felicity said.

For some reason Roy really wanted her there. She was so easy to be with. She wasn't intimidating at all. "Don't you have, like, sick leave or something?" he asked.

Felicity considered it a moment. She did have a lot of personal days that she had accrued. "I'll see what I can do," she said without committing. She smiled at Roy's relieved expression.

******_The Next Day******_

Buffy had been pleasantly surprised to get the invitation directly from Thea about working with Roy at her house the next morning, but Felicity had already called to ask her. Buffy had already decided that she was going to use Roy's desire to learn as a way to bring Thea into the training. Buffy figured since it was Thea's house it would be easy enough to get Thea to join them. She rode her bike up to the Queen mansion. She would've been more impressed if she hadn't spent so much time in Europe in various compounds the Watcher's Council owned. After gaining entrance through the gate, she parked the bike and got out. She was pleased to see Felicity's eco-friendly car parked out front already. Buffy decided she may as well get her new friend to learn some self-defense,too.

Thea opened the door. "Hey, thanks for doing this," she said as Buffy entered.

"No problem. Nice place," Buffy said as she looked around.

"Yeah, it's a bit much since I'm the only one here these days. Most of the time I just stay at Roy's," Thea said with a grimace.

"So you might want to change shoes," Buffy said, looking down at Thea's feet.

"Why?" Thea asked in confusion.

"Because those sandals aren't good to fight in," Buffy said.

"Ah, I don't plan on fighting. That's Roy," Thea said.

Roy and Diggle appeared with Felicity. "Hi!" Felicity called out with a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're here. I was telling Thea her shoes aren't right for this," Buffy said.

"And I was telling Buffy how I'm not the one learning how to fight," Thea said, puzzled.

"Listen, the Glades are not safe these days. You have a club in the middle of a bad neighborhood. I know you have your own security, but I'm sure he'd agree it's a good idea that you learn some self-defense," Buffy said. She looked at Felicity. "Both of you."

Felicity looked surprised. "I'm not one for the violence," she said weakly.

"No one is until the violence makes you a victim," Buffy said grimly.

"Digs has taught me some basic moves. Remember, I used a few on that guy the night we met?" Felicity reminded her.

"I don't think that's nearly enough. Not for this town." She looked at Felicity with a somber expression. "My best friend Willow in high school was exactly like you. A genius that was good with computers, not so good with people or saying the right thing. The first week I met her a cute guy tried to kill her. By the time she graduated from high school, she learned to fight enough to defend herself. I want the same for you."

"Man, your high school doesn't sound like a fun place," Felicity said.

"It was hell," Buffy said grimly. She'd talked to Riley about Diggle and knew that he was a man who could be trusted. Buffy wasn't ready to reveal her own identity, but she knew that Diggle would support her in this.

"I think it's a good idea," John said, nodding. "You both should know how to protect yourself. It's something I should've brought up myself." He'd mentioned it once to Oliver, but Oliver hadn't wanted any excuse to put Felicity in the field. He thought if they kept her defenseless she'd be less likely to risk herself in the field. With Oliver gone, John figured it was past time he did what he thought was best for Felicity.

Felicity looked at Thea and shrugged. "I'm game if you are," she said.

"Well, okay," she said reluctantly.

Buffy wasn't sure how much of her strength she wanted to reveal to them. However, she needed to test Thea. This would be as good a chance as any.

John was looking forward to seeing for himself what exactly Buffy Summers was capable of. He knew Riley was not prone to exaggeration, but he still couldn't see such a slight woman being much of a threat to someone his size with his training.

After Thea changed her shoes, she led them to the gym where a few mats were placed. Buffy let John run the show and watched as he demonstrated stance and basic weak points. When he used Buffy to demonstrate a choke hold, she recalled the time in her high school gym where the gym coach did the same thing. She'd accidentally on purpose had thrown the annoying guy who tried to get a bit too friendly with her. The memory made her smile.

"So how would you get out of that, Buffy, if a guy came up to you from behind?" Felicity asked, her eyes alight with mischief. She was eager to see how her new friend dealt with someone as skilled as John.

Buffy easily demonstrated how to twist out of the hold without using her super-strength to throw him.

Roy grew bored with the girly self-defense lesson. "Come on! I want to see what you guys can do!" he challenged.

Buffy gave John a questioning look. He smiled. "Well, I guess we can spar. If Riley says you can handle yourself, I'll try not to go too easy on you," John said.

"I'll try not to embarrass you too badly," Buffy said with a sweet smile.

The girls laughed. They watched as John and Buffy took positions facing one another. Buffy faced the much larger man and decided to demonstrate what a person with superior speed could do. Felicity didn't have the strength that Buffy or Thea had, but if she learned to move quickly, she would always be able to protect herself. Or at least increase the odds.

John moved in and engaged Buffy. She ducked when he threw a punch. She dodged when he kicked out. She demonstrated remarkable flexibility and balance each time he tried to make contact. However, John kept missing.

"You don't have to be the strongest person if you can move faster than your attacker," Buffy said after she dodged yet another blow from John.

John was both exasperated and amused by her catlike abilities. She motioned for Roy.

"I noticed the other day that you are quick. Let's see if we can improve your odds of deflecting John's attack," she said.

John wasn't quite sure how the woman became the coach, but it was soon very obvious to them that Roy was not her first student nor was this the first time she'd instructed others how to fight. His interest in her was piqued even more. He had run her name and found no military service records. At least not officially.

Within an hour, Buffy had all three of them learning to dodge and deflect. John had been surprised to see that Oliver's sister seemed to possess a natural ability to avoid a hit. He knew her brother would've been both amused and impressed.

"What about strength? I saw you. I know you are more than light on your feet," Roy said stubbornly. "I want to see what you can do."

"Why don't we save that for next time? I'm sure the girls have work to get to," Buffy said.

Felicity grinned. "I took a personal day," she shared.

"My assistant manager is opening up today," Thea added, flashing her a grin.

"Fine," Buffy said in resignation. She and John faced one another again. This time Buffy didn't waste any time. She allowed him to trade blows, parrying and blocking. Then she ended the fight with her signature roundhouse kick. The force of it knocked John off his feet.

Her audience was momentarily stunned. Then they started clapping.

"Girl's got game!" Roy said excitedly.

"Does anyone else feel like they want to go burn a bra?" Thea said proudly.

Buffy reached down and helped up John and looked at Thea. "What I did, you can do. I promise you," she said to her. Thea's slayer instincts were there. Buffy just needed to bring them out more.

Thea, though, just laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, well, I'd rather not have to exert myself so hard," she said.

John wasn't quite sure what had happened. He'd trained furiously with Oliver nearly every day. He wasn't out of practice or out of shape. Yet this very slight woman had managed to totally defeat him without breaking a nail or a sweat. The mystery of Buffy Summers grew even more confusing.

******_Chapter End******_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: To Slay or not to Slay

*****_The Island*****_

Even in sleep Oliver could find no peace. This new nightmare started reoccurring a week ago. Actually, it was the same nightmare he'd had since the quake, but now it had changed. He was no longer simply reliving the horrible night Tommy died. Instead, it was all his fears combined in one torturous dreamscape. It always began on the rooftop with him fighting Tommy's dad.

Merlyn taunts him right before he stabs Oliver and kills Diggle. He makes a point of keeping Oliver alive just so he can watch Diggle die.

After Merlyn leaves Oliver with Diggle's dead body, he makes it to Laurel's work and instead of Tommy dying in the rubble, it's Laurel.

"Ollie, where were you? Why didn't you come for me?" she would ask him before breathing her last.

Utterly defeated, he makes his way back to his club, to Felicity. In his dream, he keeps thinking if only he can get to her, he'll be okay. She will remain unchanged. She will look at him with those eyes that never fail to show her faith in him. In her eyes, he is a hero. Each time he dreams the dream, it never occurs to him that Felicity would be injured. In real life, she was always left safely behind while he and Dig went on the missions. For some reason in the dream, he always expects that to remain the same. He is always shocked when it is not. In his dream, Lance is there in the foundry next to Felicity's broken body. Lance had already dug up the pieces of the building that had killed Oliver's favorite IT girl. Each time he dreams it, she's already dead. He is too late to save her. Once again he failed someone he cared about.

Each time, Lance looks up with that accusing glance. "Where were you Oliver? You've led another innocent woman to her death!"

Oliver collapses to his knees in defeat only to be called back by his sister's faint voice coming from upstairs. He works his way through the rubble and finds Roy with his sister in his arms.

"Ollie!" she calls out faintly. He runs to her.

"Where were you? You could've saved her! You're the Hood! You're supposed to save everyone!" Roy screams at him. Oliver ignores Roy and takes his sister into his arms. She must be injured internally because she's coughing up blood.

"Thea, I'm so sorry!" he cries to her.

Her hand raises up and barely caresses his face before falling weakly to the ground. She gives him a faint smile. "I love you, Ollie. Always," she whispers before dying in his arms. There is no condemnation in her gaze, only love. Her unwavering love only serves to increase his pain and guilt.

It's her death each time that brings him awake.

Oliver sat up in bed, breathing heavily. The damn dream was going to be his undoing. All his worse fears in one horrible nightmare. Only his mother was left out. Reaching for his water bottle, he took a long drink.

Oliver was unsure if going home would end his nightmare or not. He knew it was wrong to leave his sister so long. He'd been gone nearly two months. However, each time he moved to pick up his satellite phone and make arrangements to go home, he could never complete the call. The thought of facing his family and friends, facing the destruction his failure left behind stayed his hand.

He knew his friends. Oliver and Felicity would expect him to keep fighting. They believed in him. What would he do when they, too, lost their faith in him? What would he do when they looked at him the way Tommy did?

******_Starling City******_

Buffy had spent the past week working with Roy and Thea. Sometimes Felicity was able to join them, sometimes not. The glaring difference between Thea and Felicity was made more obvious each time. Buffy had kept thinking Diggle and Felicity would began to wonder why Thea was picking things up so quickly. She couldn't know that both weren't very surprised that Oliver's sister would have some of his natural talents for fighting. In some way, they both felt like a piece of Oliver was back with them. Buffy figured she should get Felicity to do some early morning running with her and build up her stamina. She knew that as a slayer Thea really didn't need to exercise to be in shape.

Buffy was patrolling the city after her shift like she'd been doing nightly. She kept looking for vampires. It had been apparent after a week in Starling City that there was no hellmouth there. Since her arrival, she hadn't encountered one demon or supernatural creature. Normally, though, a slayer's presence seemed to draw supernatural forces to them. Buffy didn't know if the city simply had no vampires or if she'd just failed to discover them. What she did come across once was a woman in black leather wearing a mask. The woman had long blonde hair. She was fighting some men that had cornered a woman. Buffy saw the woman crying and clutching her clothes as she ran off. When the masked woman saw Buffy approach, she knocked out one of the guys and took off. Buffy couldn't help but wonder if she was another slayer Willow had yet to identify. Buffy made a mental note to give Willow a call and have her check.

She was a block away from her hotel when a voice called out from the alley adjacent to her block.

"Slayer!" the angry voice cried out.

Surprised, she turned. She walked toward the mouth of the alley. There were three vampires facing her. Buffy grinned. "I was wondering when you boys were going to show up. It's been awhile since I've had a good slay!" she told them.

"We heard the oldest slayer was in Starling City. I already bagged us one slayer. She was a tasty morsel. I figure you will taste even better!" the biggest vampire said.

Buffy blanched. "You killed Alex? She was my friend!" Buffy stepped into the alley and pulled out her stake. Since her slayers worked in groups, it was rare for any to be killed these days. However, Alex had been young and inexperienced when she'd been cornered in New Orleans by a group of vampires Kennedy had been pursuing. She'd had Alex and two other new slayers as back up. It had ended in Alex being killed before Kennedy had slayed the vampires. This guy must have gotten away.

She moved in to dust the three vamps. They surrounded her, but it wouldn't matter. The first one lunged, and she moved to the side, easily staking him. The one who first spoke sneered at her. He attacked. Buffy pressed forward, engaging the vamp. He was more skilled than his friend and dodged her hit. They engaged furious blows. Buffy wanted to hurt him badly before dusting him. He deserved no less. She landed several punishing blows to his face and torso. Then the other vamp came at Buffy from behind, wrapping his arm around her throat. She head butted him and kicked the first vamp hard in the stomach, knocking him back.

Quentin was patrolling his normal beat and couldn't resist taking the street that took him down Buffy's way. He was a half a block away when he heard sounds of fighting coming from the alley. He picked up his pace to investigate. When he saw Buffy fighting off two guys, he stepped into the alley.

"Buffy!" he called out. He shouldn't have because he distracted her. One of the guys hit her hard across the face when her attention turned toward Quentin. He ran toward her to help. When he got closer, he saw that the guys were deformed or something. They growled malevolently at him.

With Quentin's arrival, Buffy knew she had to end the fight before he got hurt. She knew it would be shocking for Quentin to witness, but she hoped he'd deal. Quentin grabbed one of the vampires and pulled him off of her. The vampire hit Quentin, and he went flying. Buffy charged the vampire and staked him. Quentin got up just in time to see the vamp turn to dust. His eyes widened in horror and disbelief. Buffy had no time to explain because the biggest one grabbed her from behind and pinned her arms behind her. His teeth grazed her neck.

"Not going to happen!" Buffy exclaimed in annoyance. She gave him a hard jab to his stomach, flinging him away from her. Then she moved quickly to stake him before he could recover his footing. When he was dusted, she took a breath and faced Quentin.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she approached him. He looked a bit shell-shocked.

"What was that?" he gasped.

"A vampire. They are real, and I am a vampire slayer. I have super strength and fast healing," she shared.

Quentin gaped at her. Before he could respond, his radio went off. He got a call from dispatch. As he answered it, he kept his eyes locked onto hers.

"I gotta go," he told her, frowning. "Can I come see you tomorrow?"

Buffy nodded. "Why don't you let me buy you lunch? It's the least I can do. I'll explain more," she said.

Quentin's mind was racing with too many things. "I want to walk you to your hotel. It's on my way," he said.

"Okay," she said. They walked out of the alley and the half block to her hotel. She stopped and faced him.

"I thought you were special," he said, shaking his head. "Now I know you're extraordinary." He looked at her in awe a moment before walking away.

"Well," Buffy thought. "At least he didn't run screaming."

*****_*The Next Day******_

Quentin met Buffy after a restless few hours of sleep. He didn't know how to come to terms with what he both saw and what she told him. He knew that there was evil the world. However, vampires seemed a bit far-fetched.

When he saw Buffy sitting in the booth sipping a soft drink, he paused to look at her. She was so beautiful. It was hard to believe she was closer to forty than thirty. It was even harder to believe she was so incredibly capable in a fight. He slowly walked toward her and sat down across from her.

Buffy smiled at Quentin. "I'm glad you weren't too freaked to come," she remarked.

"Well, I'm freaked. But I'm curious, too," he said with a sheepish smile. He gave his order to the server that came up. Buffy added hers.

"So," Buffy said, not knowing where to start.

"So. You're a vampire slayer. Tell me what exactly that means," Quentin said.

For the next half hour Buffy talked. She had decided that she may as well tell him why she was really in town, too, and what kind of thing a slayer faced. Quentin listened with rapt attention.

When Buffy finally stopped in order to eat her chicken Caesar salad, Quentin spoke.

"So you fight demons, monster, vampires, all the things I've always believed were just myths. You've been doing so since you were fifteen. You've kept the world from ending a dozen times or so. You've died twice—once for several months. You were the only slayer until you died for a few minutes as a teen—drowned by a master vampire. That created the first ever two slayers. You and Faith were the only two until your best friend, an incredibly powerful witch, changed the rules with her magic. And your sister used to be some mystical key that monks magically fashioned out of your blood for you to protect. Now you spend your time recruiting newly called slayers. Thea Queen, the spoiled heiress of the now notorious Moira Queen, is the reason you're in town?" Quentin stated, trying to keep it all straight.

"That about sums it up," she said, giving him an apologetic half smile.

Quentin threw down his fork. "That's the most insane thing I've ever heard!" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, I know. So is men turning to dust when I stake them in their heart with a piece of wood," she reminded him. "Yet it happened right in front of you just last night."

Quentin said nothing. He just sat there in silence for several minutes. Finally, he said, "Well, I'll be damned." He shook his head. The whole world had been turned upside down.

*****_*The Next Day*****_

Buffy had decided that since Quentin now knew the truth she had to tell Thea. She got to the club early before anyone else was there. Well, Roy was there. He was never far from Thea.

"I need to talk to you, Thea," she said in a serious tone Thea hadn't heard before.

Thea frowned. "Okay," she said as she put down the bottles of liquor she was inventorying. Buffy sat on the bar stool. Thea came around and sat down next to her. Roy was taking the chairs off the tables. Buffy didn't feel inclined to include him in the conversation.

"The reason I'm really in Starling City is you. I came to see if you'd like to join my team of slayers," Buffy said bluntly.

"What? Slayers? What do you mean?" Thea asked confused.

"Have you ever noticed since you turned fifteen or sixteen that you had more energy? You rarely got tired. You could go forever without sleep? That you never get sick? You heal incredibly fast?" Buffy asked.

Thea blinked in surprise. "Well, I've got good genes," she said as if that explained it.

"No one has that good of genes," Buffy said dismissively. "You are like me. You are a vampire slayer. We are infused with supernatural strength and abilities that allow us to defeat the forces of evil. I've been killing vampires and demons since I was fifteen. It's your calling, too."

Thea looked at her a moment before bursting out into laughter. "You almost had me going there for a minute, Buffy!"

Buffy didn't crack a smile. "I'm not kidding," she said, her voice deadly serious.

Thea realized she wasn't joking and got off the stool and took a step back from Buffy. "You are out of your mind!" Her outcry caught Roy's attention, and he stopped to see what was going on.

Buffy got off the stool and faced her. "You need to hear me. You are part of an elite and incredible group of women. You have a sacred duty as a slayer," Buffy said, wincing as she realized how much she sounded like her beloved Watcher Giles.

Thea favored her with the superior, dismissive glance she'd perfected at a young age. One she had learned from her mother. "Get out. Now!" she ordered, turning toward the exit and pointing. Buffy reached for her shoulder to pull her back toward her. Thea found herself suddenly and inexplicably angry. She turned and slugged Buffy in the face.

Thea's eyes widened in dismay at what she'd done. Roy quickly stepped forward, and Thea opened her mouth to apologize. However, Buffy returned her hit with one of her own, figuring that there was one sure fire way of convincing Thea. She flashed Thea a smug, daring look.

Thea had never been hit in her entire life. Nor had she ever slugged anyone before now. None of that seemed to matter because Buffy's hard hit to the face had her ears ringing and served to enrage her. She stepped forward and returned Buffy's hit. Buffy didn't dodge it but took it on the chin.

"Is that all you got?" Buffy challenged.

"Girls, what's going on?" Roy asked, trying to step between them.

Both girls looked at him and said, "Stay out of this, Roy!" He jumped back at their threatening looks. He didn't know what to do as the two woman started fighting. Then he recalled Thea's bodyguard, who normally stationed himself outside the club in the early part of the day.

He ran outside and waved to get John's attention. John quickly followed him back into the club. When they saw the two girls going at it, both were stunned. Thea was displaying fighting skills neither knew she possessed. She easily surpassed Roy and didn't seem to want to back down from Buffy one bit.

John knew he needed to protect Thea, but Buffy didn't seem intent on hurting her, so he was unsure.

"Stop this!" Roy said harshly. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that Buffy could easily hurt his girlfriend. He'd never forgive himself if he stood back and allowed that. How would he explain this to Oliver?

John stepped forward. "Girls, stop it!" he called out loudly.

"I'm trying to teach her Highness a lesson," Buffy said with a smirk. "She doesn't believe me. Look at her now."

Thea wasn't sure what had come over her, but Buffy's words and her taunting had made her so angry. She just wanted to knock the smug look off of the older woman's face. She found her body moving in a way she didn't realize she knew. Some of the things she was doing she recognized from her few lessons with Buffy and Diggle. However, her lack of fear unnerved her. Although she'd never been in a fight in her life, she now couldn't seem to stop trying to hit Buffy.

Buffy finally stepped back. "Now you see," she said confidently.

"I see you're insane!" Thea yelled as she lunged for Buffy, determined to beat her somehow. This time, however, Buffy dodged and then kicked out, her foot connecting hard with Thea's knee, which caused her to cry out in pain and collapse. Roy charged Buffy in defense of his girlfriend. Buffy slugged him hard, knocking him down. She looked at John, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "Do you want to go a round?" she asked him.

John held up his hands in surrender. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"I was simply trying to explain to Thea that she has a supernatural destiny. That has been endowed with slayer reflexes, speed, strength, and healing abilities," Buffy announced. "She didn't believe me. I think now she might." She glanced pointedly at Thea, who was glaring up at her rubbing her dislocated knee. Buffy didn't bother saying more to him. She looked at Thea. "Think about it. I'll be back tomorrow."

The three of them watched her walk away. Roy went to his girlfriend. "Are you okay?" he asked, reaching out his hand to help her up. She was limping.

"I'm okay. Buffy is insane!" Thea announced crossly. Roy helped her to a chair and pulled up her knit pants to examine her knee.

Diggle looked at it. "It's dislocated. We need to get you to a hospital," Diggle said. He looked at Roy. "Go get her a bag of ice." Roy got up to do so.

Thea thought about what Buffy said. "Can you pop it back?" she asked him.

"That'd hurt a lot," Diggle said. "You need to be under anesthetics."

Thea looked grim as she ordered, "Do it."

John wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but he detected steely resolve in Thea that he had never seen before. A resolve he'd only ever seen in her brother. "Brace yourself," he said. He reached out and quickly popped the knee back into place." Thea cried out as Roy reappeared.

"What the hell, man?" Roy demanded. He shoved John away and placed the ice on herr knee.

"It's okay, Roy. I told him to," Thea said.

"Why don't you tell me why you and Buffy were fighting?" John asked.

Thea wasn't sure how to explain what had just happened, but she tried her best.

Roy couldn't quit laughing after she stopped her story. "What? You're a superhero now? Buffy is already one? A demon slayer? That's rich!" he exclaimed.

"Vampire slayer," Thea automatically corrected.

John remained silent. His mind shifting through rumors and stories he'd heard about government experiments. He thought about Riley's remarks, and Buffy's obscure comments about her time with Riley.

"I told her she was insane," Thea said, disgruntled.

"How did you learn to fight like that?" John asked pointedly. "What were you thinking?"

Thea looked at him and shook her head. "I don't know. She just made me so angry. I hit her. Before I could apologize, she hit me back. Then it was like something came over me. No one has ever hit me before. Not like that. I just hit her again. Then it was like I knew how to move. It was instinctive. I'm not sure how to explain it," she said bemused.

Roy frowned. "You were pretty amazing," he remarked. He'd been so focused on the possibility that she was about to get hurt that it hadn't really registered that she was holding her own quite easily against Buffy.

Diggle reached down and took off the ice bag and examined her knee. "It seems to not be swelling. Can you straighten out your leg?" he inquired.

Thea did so. "It feels okay," she said cautiously. She put her foot on the ground and tried to put weight on it. She couldn't believe that she only felt a twinge. "It's good. I don't believe it." Buffy had mentioned supernatural healing abilities as one of the slayer perks. Thea frowned down at her knee. Could she have been telling Thea the truth?

She looked up at her boyfriend, who was looking confused and surprised. John thought over what Thea has revealed. He thought about what he knew and what he'd witnessed. Finally, he said, "Well, I can't say that I've ever seen any vampires. But I've known some unusually evil men. I know Buffy has an incredible reputation amongst the best of the best. I can't explain it. Her explanation doesn't fit into what we know of the world. However, what we just saw Thea do doesn't either. Her knee was dislocated a half hour ago and now it's fine. I don't know what to think really, but I think you might want to have another serious talk with Buffy Summers," John advised.

*****_To Be Continued*****_

_I hope the big reveal wasn't disappointing. More soon! I appreciate those of you who've decided to follow this story. I especially love your reviews! Thanks!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Evolving

_*****The Next Day*****_

John had called Riley after the fight between Thea and Buffy. He had asked Riley if what Buffy had claimed was possible. He wasn't overly surprised when Riley confirmed it. He explained how Buffy's hometown had been located on a hellmouth. Then he explained what a hellmouth was—a place of mystical energy that drew all kinds of supernatural elements, a doorway of sorts to hell. The supernatural elements always sought to open the door and wreak hell on earth. Literally. Buffy and her friends had stopped several apocalypses before permanently closing the hellmouth. John had been surprised to learn that the earthquake that destroyed her town was her basically closing the hellmouth permanently. The events of the Glades were too fresh for John to be okay with that. Riley told him that she hadn't realized her weapon to stop the vampire hordes that were rising would result in turning her town into a giant crater.

After talking to Riley, John had more questions than ever. How did Thea fit into this? What would Oliver say or do if he found out someone was trying to pull Thea into something that was obviously risky? John knew one thing for sure. He had a responsibility to protect Thea no matter what. He met Felicity for breakfast the next day. John believed she deserved to know what was happening with her new friend. Felicity was more than a little shocked.

"This is a joke, right?" Felicity asked in disbelief. Her scientific mind was having problems believing his tale.

"Nope. It is not. I had my own Special Forces buddy confirm that she is a slayer. She has supernatural strength, fighting reflexes, and healing. She used to be the only one. Now things are changed. Now she's saying that Thea is one, too," John said.

"Oliver won't be happy about this. He didn't risk his life for a year as the Hood so that his sister could turn around and become some supernatural superhero that fights demons and vampires," Felicity said with a worried frown. "Fighting criminals the way you and he do is risky enough."

"Yeah, I know. We need to tell him, but we still don't know where he's at," John pointed out.

"He's not touched his funds since I set up the trace. It's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth," she mused.

John looked speculative. Then a thought occurred to him. "He did disappear once. Maybe he went back," John said.

"That'd be crazy! Why would he return to that place of torture?" Felicity asked, shaking her head.

"A lot of war vets re-enlist and go back to war because it's what they know. They can no longer function in the world they left behind," John explained. "Maybe Oliver went back to the place where everything made sense to him. Kill or be killed. We both know he wasn't alone on that island. Not for all of the time anyway."

Felicity nodded in agreement, her mind racing. "We'll need to retrace his steps. I hadn't done that yet because I respected that he needed time. But it's been over two months. We can't sit back and watch Thea get involved in something without him knowing she's at risk. He'd hate himself even more if she got hurt and he wasn't there," Felicity said. Neither said what they both were thinking. He might not forgive them if something happened to her, and they hadn't told him.

"Call Buffy and have her meet us at the club at noon. I'll tell Thea. We have much to discuss with her," Diggle said.

Felicity nodded. "Okay," she said. She was a bit disappointed that her new friend came by her skills supernaturally. Felicity had secretly hoped that maybe if she worked hard she could be like Buffy. She wanted to be strong and capable. She didn't want to be a liability for Oliver. She wanted to be more than just a tech girl. Felicity sighed as she said goodbye and headed to work. It was time for her to face reality. Some people were born to be heroes. Others—people like her—were born to help them.

******_Verdant******_

Buffy arrived at the club with Quentin. Since he had witnessed her slaying a vampire, she figured he deserved to be there. Besides, she kind of liked him. Maybe a lot. Smiling at him, she pushed through the front door and found Thea, Roy, John, and Felicity hanging out at the bar. John and Felicity were sitting at a table by the bar while Roy and Thea were sitting on some stools.

"So that gang's all here?" Buffy said, looking at everyone.

"Why is he here?" Roy asked suspiciously, eying Quentin with distrust. He would never trust a cop.

"Because I wanted him to be here," Buffy said firmly. "And he saw me dust a vamp the other day, so I filled him in on the whole slayer thing." She sat down in a chair next to Felicity. Quentin took the other chair.

"You saw her kill a vampire?" Felicity asked Quentin excitedly. "Did it really turn to dust?"

"Yes, it did," he said simply, shaking his head.

"They were the first vampires I've seen since I came to town. With Thea and myself both here, however, it was only a matter of time," Buffy said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" John asked.

"Slayers draw vampires. We're like supernatural magnets," Buffy said. She looked at Thea in contemplation and frowned. "I'm not sure how it is that she's been active for two years and been so clueless. How could you not tell you had super strength?"

Thea looked annoyed. "How would I know this? It's not like I go around beating up guys!" she said defensively.

"Yes, but haven't you shook someone's hand and squeezed too hard or opened a jar and accidentally broke it? Broken a door opening it? That kind of thing?" Buffy asked. She remembered when she first got her powers. She went from being a semi-talented cheerleader to an apparent klutz.

Thea curled her nose. "I don't shake hands. And why in the world would I open my own jars?" she asked as if the idea had never occurred to her before.

Roy snickered. "Thea's a princess, remember? She doesn't do much for herself," Roy remarked, giving her a fond look

Instead of taking offense, Thea patted his cheek. "That's why I have you, sweetie!" she informed him.

John chuckled and shook his head. It was true that he spent much of his time opening doors for Thea.

"You've never encountered anyone that seemed to view you aggressively or tried to pick a fight or even someone that tried to get you alone in a dark alley?" Buffy asked. All slayers encountered vampires. It was unheard of to come across one that had not. It wasn't natural.

"As if!" Thea said with a sniff. "I'm not sure the kind of places you like to hang out at, but I don't go into dark alleys, and everyone loves me!"

"Thea doesn't spend much time with anyone that isn't a close personal friend," John said. "If that held true in high school, then it would stand to reason she would rarely be alone."

"Yeah, she probably doesn't frequent graveyards," Buffy remarked. No point in telling them exactly how much of her free time was spent hanging out in them.

"Not at night," Thea said. "I visit my dad's grave sometimes, but only in day time."

"Well, that was wise on your part. If you were less popular or liked to be alone more, chances were you'd have a much different story," Buffy said.

"I'm still having trouble believing this," Thea said. "How can I be a vampire slayer? How can vampires be real?"

"I have a lot to tell you," Buffy said. "It may take some time to tell it all." She laid out the situation for Thea and everyone, explaining the origins of slayers and how and why things were changed. Quentin had heard it all before, but his mind had so much trouble processing it that he was glad to have a second go at it.

The group listened in silence. All of them in various stages of disbelief. When Buffy fell silent, Thea jumped to her feet, a look of panic in her eyes. "There is no way in hell I'm joining your slayer club! I will not be running around looking for vampires to stake!" Thea insisted. "My city is falling apart in case you haven't noticed. My family _has_ fallen apart. I don't have the time or energy to focus on anything else!"

Buffy nodded. "Yes, I know your life is complicated. But that doesn't change the fact that you need to be trained. If not to slay vampires, for your own safety and those around you. You could accidentally hurt someone. It's a miracle you haven't already!" Buffy remarked. Buffy had decided to not pressure Thea. Getting her trained would be the first step. Giles had agreed with her plan when she talked to him on the phone the night before.

"What do you propose?" John asked.

"That she train with me like she has been but more focused. She needs to know what she's capable of," Buffy said. She looked at Thea and rose to her feet. "Being a slayer comes with tremendous responsibility. You aren't like other girls. Maybe you've always felt that because of your family's wealth and connections. But now it's different. Your life will never be the same."

Thea looked at Buffy, trying to come to terms with what she was saying. It wasn't that she disbelieved Buffy's words. She wasn't quite sure what to think exactly. A part of her did like knowing she had these abilities Buffy spoke of. It would ensure that she would never be a victim; she would never be completely powerless. She had spent so much time the last six years feeling exactly that way.

"My life hasn't been the same for months now. It wasn't the same after my dad's ship went down, taking him and my brother. I'm not sure about this slayer business, but I'll deal," Thea said. "Somehow."

Buffy nodded, not surprised by her response. "Good. Let's get started," Buffy said.

******_Two Weeks Later******_

Felicity was down in basement of the club. She had finally locked on Oliver's location. Her fist went up in the air. "Yes!" she exclaimed. She called Diggle. "John. I found him! I know where he's at!"

"I'll be there soon," John said, hanging up.

Felicity was glad she'd finally managed to do something useful. She'd felt pretty useless the past few weeks. She spent hours watching Buffy train with Thea. Not even discovering Thea was nearly as good with a bow and arrow as Oliver served to make her happy these days. At first it was fun seeing Thea began to blossom into this incredible fighter. It was also a bit disturbing. It was like the girl she was disappeared more every day. Felicity couldn't help but regret that Oliver was missing out on seeing his sister evolve. She wasn't sure how Oliver would take it, but Felicity knew it was going to hurt him more to see his sister so changed in his absence.

She also couldn't help but feel a little left out. Buffy was so focused on Thea that she really didn't seem to remember Felicity. There was no way Felicity could keep up with the level of training the two women were doing. Roy tried valiantly. However, he didn't have the super-healing or reflexes. More and more John was working with Roy while Buffy worked with Thea. Felicity was the odd man out. When it had been just her, Dig, and Oliver working on the list, she had never felt like a third wheel. She had known what she was doing was important and vital. She had known, too, that Oliver needed her. These days it didn't seem like anyone really did.

*****_The Next Day*****_

Buffy was getting ready for a date with Quentin. They'd had coffee and lunch a few times since their last date, but they'd not gone out at night. She'd even went out shopping for a new dress since she only had the one black dress. This one was a deep purple with a plunging neckline. Buffy had decided that she'd been celibate long enough. She and Quentin were both responsible adults. There was no reason why they couldn't skip the flowers and candy stage of their relationship. Buffy was long past the time when she wanted or needed to be wooed.

Even though she had that thought in her head when she was getting ready, she was still deeply touched when Quentin arrived with a dozen roses.

"Wow! That's so sweet!" Buffy gushed. She kissed his cheek. Turning, she looked for a place to put the flowers then realized she didn't have a vase. She grinned when she saw her 64oz soda mug. "I guess this will have to do." She went to the sink, dumping the cup and rinsing it out. She put the flowers in it. "I will have to buy a vase."

"I should've bought the ones with a vase," Quentin said apologetically.

"Hey, roses are expensive enough. I know cops don't get paid nearly enough anyway. I can manage a vase!" she said, smiling at him. After grabbing her wrap and purse, they left her room.

"So how long are you going to live in this hell hole?" Quentin asked as they walked to his car.

"It's not so bad," she said. When he stopped and looked at her incredulously, she laughed. "Okay, so maybe it is."

Quentin laughed as he opened her car door. He walked around to the other side and got in. "So maybe you should look for an apartment," he suggested as he started his car. "Since the earthquake, there's been a lot of vacancies. I'm sure you can find a short-term lease somewhere."

Buffy knew he had a point. There was no reason why she had to stay in a hotel that her mother—if she were still alive—would be horrified to see her in. "You're probably right. It might be nice to have a home again," she admitted.

Quentin looked surprised. "You don't have a home now?" he asked.

"Well, I had a place in New York for awhile when I dated my ex. But mostly my home is where ever my sister and Giles are. Since they're both in England, that's a long way away," she shared. "I've been mostly drifting ever since I stepped down as head slayer."

"I'd love to know that you weren't going to just drift out of my life," Quentin said, giving her a meaningful look. He reached over and linked his hand with hers. Their eyes locked in a long moment before he started the car and drove to the restaurant he'd chosen.

As he helped her out of the car, he said, "By the way, you look absolutely stunning in that dress. I know every man who sees you will envy me."

Buffy smiled warmly at the compliment and leaned up to kiss him. They'd never kissed before. Their first kiss was warm and sweet—just the way she wanted it to be. She pulled back before it turned into anything more.

Quentin had trouble believing that a woman like her wanted to be with a man like him, but he was grateful nevertheless.

After a dinner they both enjoyed, Quentin was going to take her to an intimate club that played music you could enjoy without having your ears rung. However, Buffy reached out and took his hand. "Why don't you take me home?" she suggested.

At first Quentin thought she was unhappy and wanted to end the date. When he frowned, Buffy realized he'd misunderstood. She leaned up and gave him a light kiss before saying, "I was thinking we could have more fun at my hell hole of an apartment." She gave him a heated glance, and he finally realized her meaning.

He chuckled softly. "Well, if you're sure, I'm happy to oblige," he said as he opened his car door for her. When they arrived at her hotel, she unlocked her door, and he followed her inside, locking the door behind him. He removed his jacket and sidearm (he didn't go anywhere without these days). Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her the way he'd wanted to all night. Buffy's arms went around his neck as she returned his kiss. Being with him felt so easy, so natural. Almost like it was their thousandth time together instead of the first.

Normally, sex with her and a guy was fast, hard, and heated. When she tried to move it that way with him, he ran a gentle hand down her cheek, traveling down her bare arm until he reached for her hand. He lifted it slowly and dropped a kiss into her open palm. "What's your hurry? We have all night. I want to savor every moment. You're not a woman a guy should rush through," he said. Then he gave her a slow, wet kiss that served to touch her deep inside.

That's how he made love to her. Slowly, almost reverently. Every touch was sweet, every kiss gentle and mesmerizing. Buffy became lost in the spell he seemed to be weaving with his every move. When he moved inside of her for the first time, her eyes opened as she gasped. Her eyes sought his, and they moved together. Over the years, Buffy had started to treat sex the way Faith did. A way to release all the pent up energy she carried. Sometimes she forgot that it was supposed to be so much more than an exchange of fluids and energies. She rarely let herself feel so connected to whomever she was having sex with. Yet Quentin wouldn't let her hide in familiar moves and habits. He pulled out of her every drop of emotion she'd normally quench. Too many heartbreaks and disappointments had left their mark on her soul. However, none of that seemed to matter. Only the here and now with him seemed to register. His touch seemed to eclipse all others. She could focus on nothing else but how he was making her feel.

When he collapsed against her, causing her to cry out his name as her orgasm washed over her, he gave her a soft kiss. Then he moved to the side, cocooning her with his warmth. Buffy felt tears leak out of her eyes as he spooned her.

"You are so incredible," he whispered in her ear. He dropped a kiss on the nape of her neck and sighed in tired pleasure. It'd been too long for him, but he'd been determined to make it good for her.

"You're not so bad yourself," she said softly. Then she turned in his arms and gazed at him. "I'm not sure I expected that."

Her admittance surprised him. "What did you expect?" he wondered.

She shrugged, not ready to share how empty her life had seemed to become lately. She looked away from him.

Quentin wasn't quite sure how to take her silence. He started to disengage. "I guess I should get going," he said reluctantly.

When Buffy felt him pull away, she looked up at him. "Please, don't," she said. She wasn't ready to say more, but she also wasn't ready for him to leave.

"You want me to stay?" he asked.

She nodded and kissed him. "Please," she said quietly.

He smiled at her, and she felt the warmth of it move through her. She turned back around, so he could wrap his arms back around her. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but think about how she'd found so much more in Starling City than a slayer.

******_Chapter End*******_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Time to Come Home

Buffy woke up Sunday morning full of energy. Her date with Quentin had been so perfect Friday night. It'd been a long time since she'd awoke in a man's arms. They'd went out for breakfast after making love one more time. He was spending some time with Laurel today. She'd been fragile since her boyfriend had died in the quake. Laurel hadn't struck Buffy as fragile, but she liked that Quentin cared so much for his daughter. She decided to go see Felicity. She had been so busy with Thea's training that she had yet to start Felicity on her jogging routine. She ran up the steps to Felicity's apartment. Having seen her car out front, Buffy knew she was home, so she rang the bell.

Felicity tried to ignore the doorbell, but it was incessant. She hadn't fallen asleep until almost dawn. Grabbing her glasses, she squinted at the time. She'd been asleep for exactly three hours. Groaning, she drug herself out of the bed. When she looked in the peep hole and saw Buffy standing outside her door, she stepped back in surprise. She hesitated a moment before opening the door.

"Is everything okay?" Felicity asked, figuring something must be wrong.

"Yep!" Buffy said, her energy so high it was a bit overwhelming. Felicity instinctively took a step back. Buffy stepped through the door. "I was hoping I could get you to go running with me. I think it'd be good for you to start building up your stamina."

If Felicity hadn't been so tired, she would've held her tongue. But she'd been spending so much time focused on coming up with a plan to bring Oliver home that she'd had very little sleep the past few days. "So suddenly you're concerned about my stamina? I guess Thea was busy, huh?" She walked to her kitchen to start some coffee, not really caring if Buffy followed her not. She had thought Buffy was her friend. Predictably, she'd found someone cooler to spend time. Felicity couldn't really blame her. Thea was pretty spectacular these days. Having been charmed thoroughly by the other Queen, she wasn't too surprised. It wasn't the first time she wasn't first choice. It probably wouldn't be the last.

Buffy winced as she realized her neglect of her new friend had hurt her. "Hey, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ignore you," Buffy said, following her into her kitchen.

"Yeah, I know you didn't. It's okay," Felicity said as she started the coffee. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Probably not. I'm pretty juiced already," Buffy said.

"Already coffee'd up, huh?"

"Nope. Not a drop. I don't really need it. I like it, but some mornings I wake up with more than enough energy," Buffy shared with a sheepish smile.

"Must be nice," Felicity grumbled. "I'm not really up for a jog. I've gotten very little sleep the past few days. I'm working on a project for work that's taking up most of my time. It might lead me out of town for a few days."

"Oh," Buffy said, disappointed. "Well, could I at least take you to breakfast? I am really sorry for being such a lousy friend."

Felicity, never one to stay mad at a friend for long, smiled. "Okay. Let me get dressed," she said.

A short time later, they were grabbing breakfast. Felicity laughed as Buffy ordered, bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, and pancakes. "You'll definitely need to run after eating all that!" she remarked.

Buffy gave her a smug smile. "Well, slayers have a really high metabolism. I'm always hungry, and I burn off just about everything I eat," she admitted.

Felicity gave a snort. "Figures," she said with a sigh. "Beautiful, deadly, super powers, _and _you never gain an ounce! I think I officially hate you!"

Buffy laughed. "Does that mean we can't engage in some girl talk? I really want to talk to someone about my weekend!" she said eagerly.

"Sure. Spill," Felicity said as she bit into her Eggs Benedict.

Buffy began to tell her about her hot night with Laurel's dad. Felicity choked on her coffee when Buffy described his skills in the bedroom.

Coughing, Felicity gasped, "I don't need a play-by-play! I respect the man too much!"

"So do I," Buffy said with a naughty smile. "Even more so now!"

Felicity laughed. "You are bad!" she exclaimed, chuckling. Her phone beeped. Felicity pulled it out. It was from Digs. _Where are you?_ She quickly typed in a reply. _At the diner across from my apartments having breakfast with Buffy. You should join._

"Is everything okay?"

"Yea, that was John. I told him he should join us," Felicity said, putting down her phone.

Buffy gave her a curious look. "So what's the deal with you and John? You said he was dating your friend Carla? Why do I feel there's more to it than that?" she prodded.

Felicity didn't like lying to her friends. Oliver did it so much with his family and friends, but Felicity had never really had anyone in her life she had to lie to about what she did with Oliver and John. "Well, to be honest, Oliver Queen told him to keep an eye on me when he left town. John was Oliver's bodyguard. He left after his best friend died in the quake. Oliver and I are friends. He's a bit overprotective since people he cares about end up dying," she explained. She decided that some partial truth was okay.

"Look at you, charming the billionaire with your bad self!" Buffy said with a cheeky grin.

Felicity looked shocked at her words. "Ah, Oliver and I are_ just _friends! I'd never be his type. He goes for leggy models or girls like Laurel Lance. Not nerdy IT girls that never know the right thing to say. I mean I'm a good friend and don't mind fixing his computer—that's how we met. He came to me to help with a laptop. Walter, his stepdad, likes me. I help him sometimes, too. But Oliver and I are only friends!" she babbled.

Buffy laughed. "Relax! I was just teasing! I'm sure a guy like Oliver comes with way too much baggage anyway. Five years on a deserted island. All those mysterious scars and broken bones. No telling what happened to him over there," Buffy said.

Felicity frowned. "How do you know about his scars?" she asked, immediately suspicious. She may like Buffy, even trust her. However, her loyalty to Oliver was deeply rooted. No one was above suspicion when it came to protecting him and his identity.

"Willow, my best friend, is a hacker like you. We found out everything there was to know about the Queens before I came here. She hacked into his medical files," Buffy said.

"I doubt you know everything," Felicity mumbled. Before Buffy could inquire what she meant, John interrupted.

"Ladies. Sorry to barge in," he said.

Felicity smiled. "Have a seat. Join us," Felicity offered.

"Sorry. Can't. We have to go," John said, giving her a look.

"We do?" Felicity asked. Her eyes widened when she realized what he was referring to.

"That breakthrough at headquarters came through," John said. He gave Buffy an apologetic look. "I have to accompany her out of town for a few days."

"Oh?" Buffy asked. "Where to?"

"Central City. Her project designers have hit a snag," John fabricated.

"You can reach me by email if anything comes up," Felicity said.

"You'll watch out for Thea? Keep her out of trouble?" John said.

"Don't worry. She'll be fine," Buffy assured him.

Felicity reached for her wallet, but Buffy grabbed her hand. "I got this. I owe you. We'll have that run when you get back," Buffy said.

Felicity smiled her thanks. "Sure. Thanks," she said. She grabbed her bag and followed John out of the diner.

"Arrangements have been made. It's time to bring Oliver home," John said as he opened the car door parked out front.

Felicity got into the car. "Good," she said, glad to finally be doing something again.

******_Hours Later******_

Oliver went to the cliff overlooking the water to watch the sun set. It was still an hour off, but he loved the view. A noise from above, though, disturbed his tranquility. He looked up. It was a plane. Frowning, he watched it fly overhead. He hadn't ordered a supply drop. He grabbed his binoculars from his bag. The clouds were thick today. He couldn't see much. Soon, however, he saw a parachute open. A lone figure made its way to the beach below. His eyes widened in surprise and alarm as he realized the figure wasn't alone.

He couldn't believe it. Diggle and Felicity were on his island. He gazed at them through the binoculars. He watched as Felicity lost her lunch on the beach. He couldn't make out what she was saying to Digs, but he could imagine. She was terrified of heights. Oliver couldn't believe she'd jumped out of a plane. He shook his head in bemusement. She was full of surprises.

Concerned for what might've compelled her to such lengths had him quickly making his way down to them. His island had too many things that could hurt them. Frowning, he thought of all the ways Felicity could be hurt here. What was Diggle thinking, bringing her to this place? She was completely out of her element. Worry for her safety compelled him downward. He dropped down in front of them right before they stepped into the woods.

"Oliver!" Felicity gasped, startled by his sudden appearance.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked more sharply than he intended. Diggle gave him a disapproving look at his tone, so he amended. "I mean, it's good to see you, but why did you come?"

"Are you okay?" Felicity asked, ignoring his question, her eyes traveling over him as if checking for injuries.

"I'm fine. Why are you here?" he asked again.

Felicity frowned at him. "You've been gone for over two months, Oliver. I just jumped out of an airplane and that's all I get?" she asked, incredulous.

Warmth entered his eyes as he gazed down at her. She always managed to both chide him and encourage him at the same time. It was a rare gift. "I'm sorry. I missed you both," he said, smiling at her. She stepped forward to hug him. He returned her hug and reached out his hand to Diggle.

"Glad you're okay, Oliver. Believe me, I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important," John told him.

Felicity gazed up at him, stepping back. "It's Thea, Oliver. We had to tell you what was going on. Since you don't call or answer emails, we were driven to extremes," Felicity said, giving him a chiding look.

Alarm and dread filled Oliver. "Is she okay?" he asked, bracing himself for the blow. Of course, he'd lose her, too—the only woman whose love for him hadn't been destroyed, who still saw him through rose colored glasses. He looked at Felicity. Well, she may not be the only one.

"Thea is fine," John assured him. "It's more complicated than that. Is there some place we can go to talk?"

"Sure. But Thea's not hurt?" he asked.

"No, she's not hurt," John told him.

Oliver let out a relieved breath and gestured for his friends to follow him. "Be careful. Only step where I step. The island is booby-trapped," Oliver advised as he led them to the hollowed out airplane that had one time been his home.

John and Felicity looked around with interest. "Is this where you stayed at when you were here?" Felicity inquired.

"Sometimes," he said. He handed Felicity and John a bottle of water. "So what's going on with Thea?"

"You better sit down for this," John said grimly. Oliver frowned but sat down and listened.

He listened, but he didn't believe. Laughter escaped. Felicity and John exchanged looks. "He's gone around the bend!" Felicity said. She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard Oliver laugh. Had she _ever_ heard him laugh? His mirth now, though, was upsetting. This wasn't a laughing matter. He'd finally cracked.

Chuckling, Oliver said, "No, I haven't! But this is the most preposterous thing I've ever heard! My sister, Thea, a _vampire_ slayer? The girl who can't even kill her own spiders? That's hilarious! I'm not surprised that you believe it, Felicity. You have a romantic heart. You love heroes and movies with strong women in them. But you, John? How could you buy into this?"

Felicity gave him an offended look. "I am _not _that easy to be misled! We know what we saw!" Felicity insisted.

"She's right, Oliver. We wouldn't have come if it was just a con job. This Buffy Summers is the real deal. I've talked to one of my Special Forces buddies who knew her intimately. Most of the stuff surrounding her is classified, but Riley knows her. He confirmed what she said. He wouldn't lie to me," John said.

"Thea is not the sister you left behind," Felicity told him. "You should see what she can do. She is amazing! She's like you!"

Oliver didn't know what to think. However, he realized that whatever was happening was not good for his sister. Either this woman had completely fooled his sister and friends or the woman was making his sister a target for things Oliver wasn't sure he believed in. "I'm not going to let Thea get drawn into something that could get her killed!" he vowed, getting to his feet.

Felicity stood. "So you believe us?"

"I'm not sure what to think, but you're right. It's time for me to come home," Oliver announced. He picked up his satellite phone to make the call.

_******Chapter End******_


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry if you may have been disappointed that I changed up Felicity/Oliver's reunion on the island. The episode on the show was too perfect. I didn't really think I could add much to it, so I just changed it completely! **

Chapter 8: Surprise

_******Starling City******_

Buffy was patrolling on her night off from the club. Thea and Roy were working. Felicity was out of town still, and she was feeling wired. Way too much energy to work off. Quentin was working tonight. She'd texted him to let him know what she was doing. Buffy figured she'd run into him eventually. Grinning, she wondered if she could convince him to slip into an alley for some unprofessional fun times. She remembered the time Spike, her vampire ex-lover, had taken up against the outside wall of her work. Very hot.

She heard a faint scream, which told her it was a few blocks away. Running, she headed in the direction of the noise. When she was a few yards away from a dark alley, she heard signs of fighting. Increasing her speed, she flew down the remaining yards into the mouth of the alley. Her eyes saw a young dark-haired girl with ripped clothes struggling with a man while another man was fighting with the blonde women in leather Buffy had glimpsed before. It wasn't much of a fight as the masked woman was beating the man with punishing blows. The girl had skill.

Buffy quickly moved to the guy holding the girl. It was obvious the masked woman had stopped an attempted rape. The girl being held had really short dark hair and wore a black leather jacket. Buffy pulled the guy off of her.

"Looks like you bit off more than you can chew," Buffy said to the guy before she slugged him so hard he was knocked out cold. Still not used to hitting humans, Buffy winced as she looked down at the man's unconscious form. She pulled out her phone and sent Quentin a quick text. Then she glanced up at the girl. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," the girl said, her hand going to the blood dripping from her lip. Buffy ripped off the end of t-shirt and gave it to the girl. "Thanks." The girl eyed Buffy with wariness.

Buffy frowned, not liking the evidence of dark suspicion in the girl's eyes. This was a girl who had seen too much. She turned to the other woman, her eyes widening in alarm. The woman was using her staff to hit the attacker. Buffy could tell the guy was barely conscious. "Hey! Stop! He's done!" Buffy yelled.

The woman ignored her, hitting the guy until he went completely limp. Not even his unconscious state slowed the woman's blows. Buffy realized if she didn't intervene the woman would kill the would-be rapist. Never having been in this position before, she hesitated a second. However, her mission was clear. Human life was too precious to be wasted. It wasn't her place to bring justice to criminals. Not that way anyway. She moved up to the woman and caught the staff just as it was about to pierce the man. Buffy glared at the woman. "You are going too far! The police will arrest him. Back off!" she ordered, her eyes flashing angrily.

The masked woman sneered at Buffy. "Rapists do _not _get to live!" she said. She jerked quickly and pulled her staff out of Buffy's hands.

"That's not your place to decide. Stopping a crime is one thing. But you don't have the right to murder him in cold blood," Buffy said firmly.

"Kill the bastard!" the victimized girl said. She'd been a victim one too many times. Never had she had the power or skill to fight back. This woman did. Sin wanted to see the men die who had hurt her, who were planning on hurting her more.

Buffy glared at the girl. "Not going to happen!" she exclaimed.

"You think you can stop me?" the masked woman said with sneer.

"Yes, I know I can," Buffy said confidently.

The woman swung her staff at Buffy's head; she ducked quickly and stepped back from the unconscious man, forcing the other woman to do the same. She pushed forward, trying to hit Buffy. Buffy kept dodging. Then she reached out and grabbed the staff instead of blocking when the woman tried again to hit Buffy. Unprepared for that, the woman didn't brace herself when Buffy pulled hard, claiming the staff. She glared at the masked woman and then proceeded to effortlessly break the staff. "I get that you have skill, and you want to protect women. But so do I. And I won't allow you to murder a man right in front of me." She tossed the now useless staff away.

Before the masked woman could attack again, a voice interrupted. "Buffy!"

Buffy glanced back and saw Quentin hurrying toward her. "My boyfriend will arrest them, so back off!" Buffy ordered, getting a secret thrill at referring to Quentin as her boyfriend for the first time.

The masked woman saw the approaching cop. Her eyes widened as she recognized her father. She glanced quickly back at the woman who'd stopped her from killing the rapist, her mind whirling. Then in a blink, she disappeared. She was nowhere near ready to be so close to her father. Nor did she know how to deal with the fact that her father had a new woman in his life. One that was _not _her mother. One that could effortlessly stand up to Sara. Sara grimaced as she realized the woman had been entirely too unafraid. Who was she? Frowning, she tried to wrap her mind around the new developments as she distanced herself from the scene.

"Are you okay?" Quentin asked, casting his eyes over Buffy. She smiled and nodded.

"These two guys were attempting to rape this girl. That woman who ran off like some kind of ninja freak stopped them," Buffy said. "She was about to kill one of them, and I stopped her."

"You should've let her!" the girl said, glaring at Buffy. "They don't deserve to live!"

Quentin frowned at the girl, but there was compassion in his eyes. "I agree. But it's not our place to take lives. Just save them," he said simply. "What's your name?"

"Sin," the girl said.

"Sin what?" Quentin prodded. The girl gave him a sullen look, obviously not going to give him more. He sighed. He could never face a girl like this without thinking of his own girls. He could tell by looking at this one that she probably spent too much time on the streets. "Do you need medical attention?"

"I'm fine," the girl said quickly. Going to a hospital was the last thing she wanted.

"Is there a family or friend I can call for you?" Quentin asked.

The girl shook her head. Buffy wanted to cry. She couldn't imagine Dawn being hurt in such a way and not calling her. Nor the reversal. Now that Dawn was a grown woman, Buffy didn't have to shield her quite so much. "Why don't you arrest these losers, and I'll take care of her?"

"I need a statement from her before I can charge these guys," Quentin said.

"That's why you should've let the woman kill them! I don't want any trouble with no cops!" the girl said.

"You are not in trouble," Quentin said easily. "But you will have to testify."

"Not going to happen!" Sin said stubbornly.

"Why don't you let me take care of her?" Buffy suggested, giving him a look that said back off. "I will find out where we can find her tomorrow.

Sin figured getting rid of the Barbie doll would be a piece of cake, so she relaxed slightly. She nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow will be better. I need some time to—uh—get over this," she said, wincing at how weak that sounded.

Quentin looked resigned and nodded. "Fine. But you must come by the station tomorrow and give a statement," he said. He glanced at Buffy. "Be careful."

She smiled warmly at him. "Always," she said. She stepped up to him and kissed him. Knowing he wouldn't appreciate it if she tried to get carried away, she kept it short and sweet. "I'll call you later."

She looped her arm through Sin's. "You can come home with me. I live just down the street," Buffy said, knowing the girl was planning on disappearing on the streets at the first opportunity.

"What?" Sin asked in surprise, trying to pull away from Buffy. However, Buffy refused to release her. This woman was unusually strong for a woman. Sin recalled how effortlessly she'd broken the thick wooden staff and hesitated. No need to piss off a woman who had such a skill set. At least not until she had to.

Buffy pulled her away from Quentin who was bending down to handcuff one of the guys. "I figured you probably could use a safe place tonight. My place is crappy, but it's safe," Buffy said. "Don't argue with me. You won't win."

Sin looked at the woman a bit in awe. Two women in one night appeared out of nowhere to help her. Her own mother could never be bothered to notice her whereabouts or well-being, yet these two strangers did so with such casual ease. Although she wanted to thank the woman who had first saved her, she couldn't ignore the woman in front of her now. "Who are you?" she asked incredulously.

The woman smiled brightly. "Buffy. Buffy Summers," she said. "Does Sin stand for Cynthia?"

The girl grimaced. "You ever call me that and you'll regret it!"

Buffy laughed. "Sin is much cooler!" she agreed. "Come on." She tugged on Sin's arm, leaving her no choice but to go along. She glanced back at her attackers who were being arrested. At least tonight, they wouldn't be on the streets hurting someone else. That was better than nothing.

******_The Next Day******_

The next day Buffy was at the Queen mansion in their gym training with Thea and Roy. Roy was finally willing to spar with his girlfriend even though he never could bring himself to hit her. He mainly practiced his footwork and avoided her hits, or tried to anyway.

After ten minutes, Buffy called time. She put Roy to work on the punching bag. Since he had a lot of aggression, it was a good way for him to work some of it out and practice throwing hits.

"So a slayer is naturally light on her feet—spry," Buffy told Thea. "Before I was called I was a cheerleader, and I could do a cartwheel. Then suddenly I could do this." She moved to one corner of the mat, and began a full gymnastic routine that included lots of backwards flips and ended in the splits.

Roy stopped what he was doing to watch her in amazement. A girl that flexible was incredibly hot. He eyed his girlfriend with new eagerness.

"So even as old as you are, you can still do the splits?" Thea asked in amazement.

Buffy got up and grinned, taking no offense. "Yeah, we seem to age slower. Since the average life span of a slayer used to be seventeen, we never knew that. Faith and I are the oldest recorded slayers. She's a few years older than me, but I was called earlier. So far my body seems to work the same as it always did. A definite perk," she said. She jumped up easily to her feet.

Thea looked thoughtful. "So I should be able to do that?" Thea asked.

"Yep," Buffy said.

None of them noticed their audience. Oliver had arrived as his home with Diggle and Felicity. When Diggle mentioned that Buffy's bike was out front, he was itching for a confrontation. However, when he arrived at his gym, he paused. An incredibly beautiful woman was flipping all over the place like a jumping jack.

"That's her. That's Buffy," Felicity whispered unnecessarily. "I'm going to have her teach me how to do that! I can do the splits, you know." Felicity may never become a real fighter, but she could do some of that. At least that was her thought as she watched the two woman. She watched eagerly. Finally, here was something within her realm of capabilities! Then she frowned. Who was she kidding? She could never look so natural doing that.

No, Oliver didn't know that and the idea of Felicity doing the splits so startled him that he had to blink away the image. He had put Felicity so firmly in the friend's box that he refused to notice her as a woman. He'd never managed to be friends with a woman who wasn't a former lover, so he valued the real friendship he'd developed with Felicity. When an occasional stray thought popped in his head whenever he noticed how attractive she looked, he worked hard to push it down. Shaking his head to dispel the image of Felicity doing the splits, he forced himself to focus on the scene in front of him. When the woman mentioned the average lifespan of slayers used to be seventeen, his fist clenched in rage. How dare this woman lead his only sister into something so dangerous!

He started to step into the room when Thea suddenly stepped forward on the mat and did almost a mirror image of the routine Buffy had done. His mouth fell over in shock. He glanced at Diggle, who didn't seem nearly as surprised. He just grinned proudly. Felicity looked a bit sad. Frowning, he started to ask her what was wrong. Then he realized it was not the time.

He stepped into the room. "Thea. I'm home," he announced.

Thea turned. When she realized it was him, her face broke into a huge smile. She came running toward him, throwing her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back; he'd missed her more than he realized.

Buffy watched the reunion with a smile. It was good to see siblings so close. She and Dawn were still close after all these years. However, she was taken aback when Thea's brother threw an angry glare her way. He moved toward her like he was stalking her. He was like a panther—so much suppressed energy. Willow's research had never mentioned his presence was so magnetic. All that focused energy was zeroed in on her. He was _not _a happy person. She glanced at Felicity, who was looking both guilty and apologetic.

Roy moved away from the punching bag, sensing things were about to get ugly.

_******To Be Continued******_

_I know it's a bit cruel to leave it at this point, but I will update in a week or so. Thanks for reading! Take a minute to review, please!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Welcome Home

_******Where We Left Off******_

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?" Thea asked her brother.

"I thought I'd surprise you," Oliver said, smiling at her. He glanced at Buffy, his smile leaving his face.

Buffy frowned, sensing that big brother was not pleased with her. However, she said nothing. It'd taken her a decade to finally control her nervous rambling. It would take a whole lot more than Oliver Queen to make her babble these days.

Felicity spoke. "Hmm, well, Dig and I told Oliver about the new thing you're doing," Felicity said, flashing Buffy a guilty look.

"I would've told him," Thea said, looking annoyed.

"Diggle promised me he'd watch out for you. He was concerned," Oliver said easily. "I overheard what your new friend was saying to you. I can't say I'm happy about this, Thea."

"Oliver, you have been gone for two months. You don't know anything," Thea said, not happy. She glanced at Buffy, who gave her an encouraging smile. "This is Buffy Summers. She's the oldest living vampire slayer. She's been training me."

"Yes, I heard," Oliver said, giving Buffy a grim look. He wasn't happy about this, and for once, he wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

"Buffy, this is my brother Oliver," Thea introduced.

Buffy held out her hand. Good manners forced Oliver to take her hand. It felt like any other girl's hand. She didn't try to squeeze his or give a show of force like he was more than a little tempted to do.

The woman gave him a brilliant smile. "It's nice to meet you. Your sister is quite special," she said.

Oliver was taken aback by her natural charisma when she focused that energy on him. However, he was _not _about to be charmed. He was, himself, a natural charmer. It had been one of the pre-Island traits he'd retained. He'd not used it on the island much, but it could be called upon when the moment called for it.

Now was not that moment. "Yes, she is," he agreed. "And I do not like at all you bringing danger into my sister's life."

"The danger was already there. It was only a matter of time before she drew the supernatural to her because she _is _supernatural," Buffy said flatly.

Oliver couldn't contain his smirk. "Yeah, right. I'm not sure what kind of delusion you're suffering under or con you're running, but you are going to leave my sister out of it. I've seen a lot of evil things in my life, but in my experience men don't need demons to do truly awful things," he said, a shadow in his eye.

Buffy just laughed, unoffended. "Regardless of what you believe or know to be true, I am thirty-six years old and have been fighting demons and vampires for two decades. I've died twice. I've stopped the world from ending on multiple times. I don't need to run any cons on anyone. I know my business. And whether you like it or not, your sister _is _my business."

Oliver looked at her in surprise, momentarily distracted. "You're thirty-six?" he asked in disbelief.

Thea gave her brother a bemused look. "That's the part you heard? Seriously?" she asked. She shook her head, a loud snort slipped out. "You need to relax, Ollie. Buffy is amazing, and she is showing me how to be amazing, too."

"You are already amazing, Thea. You don't need her or anyone else to make you more so," Oliver stated.

Buffy couldn't be truly annoyed at a guy who would say such a thing to his sister and obviously mean it.

Thea beamed at Oliver. She raised up and kissed his cheek. "That's sweet of you to say, Ollie, but now I know I have super powers! You should see what I can do!" she said excitedly.

"She is pretty bad ass," Roy agreed, giving her an admiring glance.

Thea winked at him and then turned back to Oliver. She took up a boxer stance and bounced around Oliver, holding up hands in boxing position. "You want to see what I can do? I can take you!" she bragged. She threw out some playful pushes as she danced around him, causing him to smile and her audience to laugh.

Felicity was more than a little intrigued. Could Thea actually take Oliver? Thea and Buffy had no idea what Oliver could do.

"Come on, Ollie! Spar with me!" Thea begged. "You used to do it with Tommy. Surely, you remember some of that stuff?"

She threw out a punch to Oliver and blinked in surprise when Oliver instinctively blocked it. Roy's eyes widened, and he quickly moved into position.

"Your brother would just embarrass himself!" Roy said with a sneer. "You should spar with me!" He didn't think now was the time for Thea to discover her brother's own particular skill set.

Thea grinned and the two took up a position. It took Thea only a few minutes to knock Roy on his ass with an upper cut. She winced and gave him a guilty look. "Baby, I'm sorry!" she gushed as she got down on the floor to check on him.

Although Oliver was a bit surprised to see his sister so effortlessly knock her boyfriend on his ass, he took her distraction as a chance to say a few words to Buffy. "Listen, I'm back now. We don't need you here anymore trying to recruit my sister to whatever cause you're involved in. If Thea needs to practice fighting to make herself feel in control, then I will provide all the teachers she needs. You can go back to wherever you came from," Oliver told Buffy, a hint of his Arrow voice coming through as he spoke.

Buffy was finally getting annoyed with the man's arrogance and high-handedness. Two traits that never failed to set her teeth on edge. "I guess the reports of your arrogance were not exaggerated," Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

"Buffy lives here now, Oliver. She works at the club, and she's dating Detective Lance," Felicity shared.

Oliver was surprised by both bits of information. However, the fact that someone that looked like her was dating Laurel and Sara's father was more than surprising. His face reflected his surprise. "You're dating Quentin? Seriously?" he asked.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I am. He's wonderful," Buffy said.

Thea heard Oliver's words and stood to her feet. "They're very cute, Ollie. Wait 'til you see them! Laurel, of course, isn't happy, but that's no surprise. She never is these days," Thea said. "As for the club, I run it now, and she works for me!"

Oliver's eyes flashed. "Consider her fired. Remember, I own the club. Not you. I never signed over anything to you. I don't want her working there," he said sternly. He gave Buffy a look. Getting the woman as far from his sister as possible was his first goal.

Buffy just shrugged dismissively. "No big. It's not like I really needed to be a bouncer. I just thought it'd be fun," she said.

"Bouncer? You hired her as a bouncer?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"She is very capable," John said, speaking for the first time. "She's underestimated and drunk men are so in love with her that she rarely has to use force to get them to leave. She has finesse; something you don't." John winked knowingly at him.

Thea glared at her brother. "You cannot come back now and start interfering! You said I could run the club. This is me running the club! Get over it! Things change when you disappear. Whether it's by accident or design. The world doesn't stop when you step away. Deal with it!" Thea exclaimed.

Oliver stepped up to his sister. "I didn't survive five years in hell and fight my way back to you to stand back and watch you endanger your life," he said in a too quiet voice, the pain he revealed shocking his audience. "I didn't watch person after person that I cared about die on that island to lose the person I love the most when I return home. I've lost Tommy. I can't bear to lose you, too. Don't you get that? Haven't I lost enough? Haven't I been through enough?"

The pain in his voice froze Thea. Her brother had never once referred to his time on the island to her. Nor had he ever shown such vulnerability to her. It served to kill her anger. "I didn't know there was other people on the island," she said, a note of question in her voice.

"There was for a time," Oliver said simply without elaborating.

Buffy, more than anyone there, understood suffering. She understood what it felt like to be broken and remade. It was clear that was what happened to Thea's brother. The barely controlled rage was just below the surface. The pain was leaking out. Buffy figured it was the first time he'd let his sister see that pain. She knew she had to tread carefully. "Hey, I'm not here to cause your sister any pain. I'm not here to lead her into danger. I'm here to protect her, to train her to protect herself," Buffy said.

"She has me. She doesn't need you," Oliver said warily. He reached out and pulled his sister to his side. Realizing she was all grown up the past year had been hard enough. He wasn't sure he was ready for more.

"She does. Soon you will understand that," Buffy said easily. She decided now was not the time to press the issue further. "I'll talk to you later, Thea. We'll work this out." She walked over to a chair and grabbed her keys.

Felicity followed Buffy out, figuring Oliver needed some privacy with his sister. John was a step behind her.

"Buffy, wait!" Felicity called out. Buffy stopped and waited. "Sorry about Oliver. He just worries a lot about people he cares about."

"I understand that. I'm the same way with my sister. She hates it, too," Buffy said with a rueful smile. Then she gazed curiously at Felicity and John. "You two didn't go to Central City, did you? You made up that story about work."

Felicity's guilty look and glance at John answered her question. John decided to handle this one. "Protecting Oliver is what I do," John said with a shrug.

"I get that, but I don't get what that has to do with you," she said pointing at Felicity. "I thought you worked in IT? Oliver doesn't even work for the company, right?"

Felicity really should have thought this through more. Finally, she sighed. "Well, yes. That's how we met. Oliver came back from the island really ignorant about technology. His stepdad, Walter, sent him to me when he had trouble with a laptop. Then it became habitual. There's a lot he doesn't know. We became friends," Felicity explained. At least, all of that was true.

Buffy knew there was more Felicity wasn't sharing, but she decided not to press the matter. "I bet he's a good friend to have," Buffy said. "I'll give you guys some space. Oliver is going to have to come to terms with this one way or another. She's a slayer. It's simply the way it is. He's going to have to deal with what that means." She turned once again to leave. This time they didn't stop her.

_*****Later that Day*****_

Oliver tried talking to his sister after everyone left. However, she was upset that he fired Buffy. She tried to explain what she found out about herself, the things she could do. But Oliver hadn't been ready to listen. Now he regretted his impulse. He didn't want to fight with her.

"You okay?" Diggle asked, coming up behind him.

"I guess," Oliver said, putting his hand over face in frustration. "I just can't get over this. She's already so different. She really believes this."

"Oliver, you know I'm not given to flights of fancy. She's the real deal," Diggle told him.

"You really believe that?" Oliver asked.

"I know it's hard to wrap your mind around, and Buffy doesn't look like much of a fighter. Believe me, she is. So is your sister. Things change. You're going to have to accept it," Diggle informed him.

Oliver grimaced. He didn't know what to think anymore.

"So do you want to go to Verdant and see the changes Felicity made downstairs?" Diggle asked him.

"What do you mean changes? I'm not sure I can handle any more changes," Oliver said.

Diggle smiled. "Trust me. This is a good change," Diggle assured him. He pulled out his phone to send Felicity a text. She'd want to be there.

A short time later, a beaming Felicity was turning on the lights and letting him see what she'd done to the place. He looked around, impressed. Seeing his green hood in a glass case brought him mixed emotions. On one hand, he liked seeing the symbol of Shado given such respect. On the other hand, he didn't think he could ever be the Hood again.

"I'm not going to do it anymore," Oliver told his friends after he'd walked around. "I can't go back."

"This isn't about going back," Felicity said. "It's about going forward. The Glades is getting worse every day. Things are getting out of hand. The city needs you, Oliver."

"She's right. You can do more good," Diggle said.

Oliver gave a bitter, humorless laugh. "I'm not sure I did any good to begin with. I didn't stop Malcolm. I didn't save Tommy. He died still hating me. He saw a killer when he looked at me," Oliver said. "I don't want to be a killer."

Felicity couldn't stand the derision in his voice. She went toward him. She put a hand on his arm. "You aren't a killer, Oliver. Yeah, maybe you've killed. Maybe you could've, like, not killed some of them. But you're one guy. Sometimes you were outnumbered. Sometimes there wasn't any choice. But there's still work to do in this city. You showed me that, Oliver. You made me a part of something. I don't want to go back to just hiding behind my computers. I don't want to be just another IT girl. I want to make a difference," Felicity said passionately. "That's what we did. We made a difference. Sure one of the bombs went off. But not both of them. We saved lives. A lot of lives. You and Dig got rid of Merlyn. Who knows how many more he would've killed? Some people are too evil to live."

"You can't just look at the defeats, Oliver. You got to look at the big picture," Diggle said.

"I don't want to be the Hood anymore," Oliver said, feeling frustrated.

"Then don't be that. But be the hero we know you to be," Felicity said. "Buffy being here has shown me the world is even more evil that we thought. Thea needs you now more than ever. And she doesn't just need her brother. She's going to need the Hood."

Oliver wasn't so sure about that. However, he didn't want to argue with Felicity. "The place looks good. Thanks," he said. When she smiled at him, he realized how much he'd missed that smile of hers. She never failed to make him feel good about himself. It was one of her many gifts. "I can't make you guys any promises, but I'll think about it."

"Good," Felicity said.

"So how about I take the two of you to dinner?" Oliver suggested.

"Don't you think you should spend some time with your sister?" Felicity said.

"I'll invite her. And Roy. He's managed to keep my secret all summer. Buying him dinner is the least I can do," Oliver said. He got out his phone to call his sister.

Thea was with Roy when Oliver called her. She was glad he invited Roy. Maybe he just needed some time. Roy was being a lot more understanding than Thea expected.

"Oliver invited us to dinner," Thea shared.

"Cool," Roy said, smiling. He was eager to spend more time with Oliver. He wanted the Hood to see what he'd learn from Buffy and Diggle.

Thea gave him a suspicious look. "Why do you seem eager? Since when do you like my brother?" she asked.

"I've never _not _liked him. I just didn't like the dismissive way he looked at me sometimes. Like I'm not good enough for you," Roy explained. "Now I know that's just the way he is with everyone. No one would be good enough for you."

Thea smiled. "Yeah, he's a little more intense than he was before the island," she said.

"What was he like then? You've told me a bit, but I have trouble picturing him as just a spoiled rich kid that did nothing but party," Roy said.

"And charm all the ladies," Thea said with a grin.

Roy laughed. "You can tell me more on the way to the restaurant."

She told him her favorite Oliver stories while he drove them to Oliver's favorite restaurant.

Dinner was pleasant. Thea kept them entertained with stories of the various disasters that occurred her first week opening the club. Oliver enjoyed watching her smile and laugh as she and Roy shared. He managed to keep his smile when they began telling him about the training they were doing over the summer. However, he seemed mostly surprised when Thea mentioned Felicity being involved.

"You? You're taking self-defense?" Oliver asked in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised," Felicity said, feeling a bit offended. "A girl in the Glades should know how to protect herself, especially when the vigilante isn't around anymore to keep the streets safe."

Both Roy and Oliver looked startled to hear her so casually refer to the vigilante.

Thea snorted. "That freak probably got flattened in the earthquake. He spent most of his time on top of buildings, so when one of them caved in, he probably got crushed," she said.

"Or injured. Maybe he just got hurt and is waiting to heal," Felicity said, giving Oliver a meaningful look.

"Or maybe he's just tired of fighting a losing battle," Oliver added, unable to stay silent anymore.

Roy looked surprised at Oliver's words. Before he could say anything, Thea said, "Buffy said fighting evil is the hardest, most thankless job you can ever do. She says there are times when you'll give anything to forget the rest of the world. But we can't because we live in the world. We have an obligation to help."

Oliver gave John a sharp look. He didn't say anything but gave a slight nod. Oliver had been enjoying not thinking about the whole slayer business. However, he had a feeling it wasn't something he was ever going to be able to ignore for long. "I know Detective Lance would tell you being a public servant is a thankless job. Laurel has remarked on that more than once," he said.

"I told Buffy my obligation was to my family," Thea said, surprising Oliver. She reached over and grabbed Oliver's hand. "I don't plan on following Buffy on some crusade, Ollie. But I'm not just a Queen. I realize that now. There's so much she's shown me in just a few weeks. I'm not sure about the whole vampire thing. I've not seen one yet, but I do know there's something to what she says. I'm not normal. I really want you to be a part of this, Ollie. I don't want to do this without you."

Oliver felt more than a twinge of guilt as he thought about all he'd done without his sister, but he was grateful that she wasn't going to shut him out. "I don't want that either. I'll try to keep any open mind," he promised.

After dinner, Diggle went to get the car. Thea walked out with her arm linked with Oliver's. Felicity and Roy were right behind them.

"What did he mean by that comment?" Roy whispered to Felicity. "He's not going to be the Hood anymore?"

"He's having some issues," Felicity said. "He'll come around." She said it with more confidence than she felt.

Oliver was walking Thea to her car when Thea stopped suddenly. "Did you hear that?" she asked Oliver.

He turned toward the area north of the restaurant where his sister had been looking. He stretched out his senses. Finally, he heard a scream that got cut off.

"Someone's in trouble!" Thea called. She pulled away from Oliver before he could grab her and headed toward the nose. She reached into her small purse and pulled out the stake Buffy told her to never go anywhere without. Although she felt a bit silly clutching it, she did so. A nice lethal knife or gun probably would've been better. However, Buffy had been adamant.

"Thea!" Oliver called out. He raced after his sister. He called over his shoulder to Felicity. "Don't even think about it!"

Felicity glared but stopped. She pulled out her phone to call John. Roy raced after them.

When Thea made it to the shadows where the noise was coming from, she saw a man biting into a woman. Her eyes widened as she realized it was a vampire. A real live vampire. Just like Buffy had said.

"Hey! Stop it!" she yelled. The fear she expected to feel wasn't there. Instead, she felt an incredible anger well up inside of her. This creature was trying to drain that woman's life. A woman who had probably never hurt a single person. Thea charged forward and grabbed the man and yanked him away from the woman.

"Thea! Don't!" Oliver called as he saw his sister attack some guy. However, when the guy turned toward his sister, Oliver realized it wasn't some street thug. The guy's eyes were yellow and his face was deformed. When the guy flashed his fangs at Thea, Oliver realized he was looking at a vampire. He glanced at Roy, whose face reflected the surprise Oliver was feeling. Oliver's fear for his sister increased a hundred fold. As he stepped forward to intervene, Roy reached out to stop him.

"Don't. This is her job. Not yours," Roy said. "She can handle this." Roy felt incredibly proud to watch Thea fearlessly face down her first monster. He wasn't about to let her brother take it from her.

Oliver had a moment of indecision that was taken out of his hand as he watched his baby sister attack the creature. He stood there stunned as his sister pummeled the thing. Then she jabbed a pointy wooden stake at it. All of a sudden, she found her mark and the thing dissolved into dust.

She turned and faced them, her face flush with her success. At that moment, Oliver realized she was more alive than he'd ever seen her. His mind tried to reconcile what he knew of her and what he'd just witnessed. Somehow he didn't think things were ever going to be the same again.

*****_Chapter End*****_

_I hope you enjoyed this update! Reviews are appreciated!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Oliver's New Reality

_*******Same Time, Not The Same Place*******_

Buffy left the Queens and went back to her hotel. She was pleased to see Sin still there.

"Hey. Glad you're still here," Buffy said, smiling at the young girl.

Sin gave her a wary look. "I was going to leave, but then I thought maybe you could help me find the other girl who saved me. I want to thank her. If she hadn't got there when she did, those guys would've raped me," Sin said.

"What do you know about this girl? Has she been doing this vigilante thing long?" Buffy asked, curious.

"I've heard rumors since the earthquake. I think about three weeks after the Glades was mostly destroyed she showed up," Sin said. "That was the first time I've seen her up close, though."

"You know I can't ever get on board with killing humans," Buffy said.

Sin looked at her incredulously. "You say the word humans like you are used to killing something that isn't human. Do you hunt?" Sin asked.

"In a way, yes," Buffy said casually. There was a knock on the door, interrupting them. Buffy stepped forward to answer it. It was Quentin.

"Hey, you," Buffy said, stepping forward to kiss him hello.

Quentin was still not used to the open affection Buffy so easily showed him. He felt old and useless some days. So many things he'd done in his life the past five years brought him nothing but shame and discouragement. Somehow, though, she saw him the way he used to see himself. He didn't know how he would ever go back to his life without her. Her departure was inevitable, though, so he was determined to enjoy every moment with her.

A cough in the background had him opening his eyes. He saw the teenager and pulled away slightly. Buffy gave him a saucy grin. "You were exactly what I needed to salvage this day," she commented.

"How come you two didn't go by the precinct and file a report?" Quentin asked.

"I got caught up with Thea," Buffy admitted. "Sin wasn't going to go unless I dragged her there."

"I don't want to talk to no more cops," Sin said sullenly.

"Fine. I'll take your report now," Quentin said. He looked at Buffy. "What's been going on today?"

"Oliver Queen has returned to town. To say he is not happy with my involvement with his sister would be an understatement," Buffy said.

Quentin glanced at Sin, trying to gauge her reaction. Had Buffy told her anything? Buffy saw his inquisitive look and shook her head slightly. She hadn't told Sin anything.

"You're friends with Thea Queen?" Sin asked.

"Do you know her?" Buffy asked.

"Yea, we're like best friends!" Sin said with heavy sarcasm. She would never admit even under threat of torture that she'd been fascinated with the youngest Queen since she was a girl and lost her own father. Like Thea's dad, Sin's had went away on a trip and never returned. Thea's life was so public that it was hard not to get sucked in. Sometimes photos showed too much. Sin could recognize the shadows in the girl's eyes because she saw the same ones when she looked in the mirror.

"I can introduce you sometime," Buffy said with a grin.

"So the prodigal son has returned," Quentin said. "I can understand why he might be a bit upset. I'd feel the same way if my daughter was getting involved in something dangerous."

"She is more than capable of taking care of herself," Buffy pointed out. "Oliver fired me from the club. He really wants me to stay away from her."

"Seriously? He fired you?" Quentin asked in outrage. "Why that arrogant son of a bitch!"

Buffy grinned to see Quentin's anger on her behalf. "It's okay. It's not like I needed the job really. It was just fun," Buffy said.

"You live in this dump. How can you _not_ need a job?" Sin interjected, looking around at the dank, dark hotel room with distaste.

Buffy sighed. "Yeah, I know. I really need to get busy looking for a new place. I just don't like living by myself. A hotel is different. It says temporary. An apartment means I'm staying," Buffy said. Buffy had never really lived by herself. She'd always had her sister, then the Scoobies, then the slayerettes. Occasionally, she'd had a lover. The past two years she's spent a lot of time alone, but the constant moving around from hotel to hotel had kept the loneliness from really crystallizing.

"Do you plan on staying?" Quentin asked.

"The council doesn't care if I stay or not. I can live where ever. I may have to leave town to recruit or put out fires. Faith may come visit. She can't ever stay away from me for long," Buffy said with a smirk. Over the years, she and Faith had become true friends. Faith had worked hard to win back Buffy's trust. She was the only one in the world who really got certain aspects of Buffy's life. The new slayers could never understand her the way Faith did. "I guess I should start looking for a place."

"I've already got some places you can look at," Quentin said with a sheepish grin.

Buffy laughed. Then she looked at Sin with speculation. "Do you have a place to live?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

Sin's walls went up as did her chin. "I've got places to go," she said defensively.

"That's not what I asked," Buffy said. "Do you have a home? A place you can call your own and feel safe?"

Sin shrugged.

"Why don't you come with me tomorrow to look at apartments? You could live with me if you want," Buffy said casually.

Quentin frowned. "Buffy, you don't even know this girl," he said.

"He's right. I could be like a psycho killer," Sin said with a smirk.

"Well, I think I can handle you," Buffy said, winking at Quentin.

"I don't need anyone's charity," Sin said sullenly.

"It's not charity. I'll ask things of you in return," Buffy said.

"I'm not into any perverted shit!" Sin said hotly.

Buffy's mouth fell open in shock; then she laughed—a full belly laugh. Sin grimaced, realizing she'd made a fool out of herself.

"Well, darn. I was so looking forward to doing some perverted shit with you!" Buffy said, gasping for air. Overcome with giggles, she sat down on the edge of her bed.

Quentin didn't like the idea of Buffy letting some street kid into her life so easily; however, he knew it wasn't the time to discuss it. He looked down at Sin. "Come down to my squad car. I have a form you can fill out, so you won't have to go to the precinct." He glanced at Buffy, who finally got her giggles under control. "We'll be back shortly."

Buffy watched them leave. The girl was like a cactus, prickly. However, Buffy saw an innate kindness and yearning underneath the hostility and suspicion. She reminded Buffy strongly of Faith. Faith had been so much like that, but Buffy had failed Faith. She'd not realized how false the bravado was, how open she was to manipulation by someone like the Mayor. She had failed Faith, but she suddenly had a growing desire to not fail this girl. Her life had been about killing for so long. She mentored and empowered newly called slayers, but she didn't do a thing for girls like Sin, girls forgotten and abandoned. The short time she spent counseling young girls at Dawn's high school so long ago had really been the last time she'd got to help teens.

When they returned, Buffy asked, "Do you want to join us for dinner? I'm starving!"

"I can meet you in a bit. I've got to go by the precinct and drop off the car and file her report," Quentin said. They agreed on a local place they both liked.

Buffy glanced at Sin after he left. "So do you want to stick around? I have a younger sister and close friends, but they all live in England. There's a few here in America, but I'm mostly alone. I could use some company," Buffy told her.

Sin stared at her a moment, trying to determine what her angle was. The woman was like a force of nature. Sin was trying hard to resist her pull, but it was getting harder. It had been a long time since anyone had cared about her well-being. Sin decided if things started going south, she could always bail. "I can stick around," she said with a shrug. "At least until you do something too freaky for me to handle."

"Well, if you spend enough time around me, things may get freaky but not perverted freaky," Buffy said with a wink and a laugh. Sin looked suspicious, so Buffy threw her arm around her shoulder, ignoring the way her body tensed. "Come on. Let's go eat. I'm starving!"

It wasn't long before they were eating at Big Belly Burger, a place Felicity had taken Buffy to once. The burgers were so amazing they should get their own place in heaven. Quentin had sent her a message telling her to order without him.

Soon Buffy got a text from Felicity telling her she'd just finish dinner with the Queens and Diggle. Felicity was sorry about Oliver's behavior, assured her he'd come around. About five minutes later, Felicity sent another text.

_Thea just killed a vampire outside the restaurant!_

Buffy stood to her feet. "I need to get to Thea right now. Can you stay and explain to Quentin? I'll call soon," Buffy said urgently. She pulled out her wallet and handed Sin a twenty.

_******Back with the Queens******_

Oliver had trouble believing what he'd just witnessed. He could hear Felicity and Diggle directly behind him. Felicity's perfume and soft gasp at the tableau in front of them making her identity clear. Oliver was too frozen to even glance back at her. His instinct to reassure Felicity was dulled by his shock at the sight of his sister killing a vampire.

Vampires. It was all true. Oliver tried to wrap his mind around what he'd just witnessed. On the island, he'd seen many things that had shaken him. He had honestly believed his time there had prepared him for anything.

He was wrong. Vampires were real, and his baby sister was a vampire slayer.

Thea's squeal of joy pulled him out of his fog.

"Oh my God! Did you see that? It was so amazing!" Thea gushed. She launched herself at Roy, hugging him so tightly that he gasped. "You're crushing me!"

"Oh, sorry!" she said ruefully.

"It's okay," Roy said. He gave her a proud look. "You did it!"

"Did you see? I wasn't even scared. I was just pissed. It was exactly like Buffy said. They are evil, and I was born to slay them!" Thea said as she bounced on the balls of her feet. She pulled her shiny, happy eyes to Oliver's, waiting for his words of approval.

How could he give them? How could he say what she was doing was okay? That he survived hell just to watch her literally battle demons from a very real hell? How had his world gotten so screwed up so quickly? Was this seriously his new reality? For once, he couldn't even hold himself responsible for this one. He smiled grimly. Fate. He hadn't believed in fate before, so convinced was he that he could alter his course, his destiny. Now he realized fate did exist. It had earmarked his sister. There was nothing he could do to stop it. It was all out of his control. That was hard for him to swallow.

Oliver hated not being able to control everything in his life. He hated feeling powerless. Right now, he felt utterly powerless.

"You were pretty impressive," he told her, giving Thea the approval she wanted.

"Damn straight I was!" she exclaimed. "I got to call Buffy!"

"I sent her a text. She's on her way," Felicity said. "Well, I told her what was happening. I'm assuming she's on her way. I guess I don't actually know if she's on her way. She could be busy doing something else." She bit her lip to stop the ramble.

"How about we get out of the alley?" Diggle suggested. "People will start to wonder what we're doing."

They strolled to the car while Thea recapped her adventure for her audience.

"I just can't believe it! It was just like Buffy said! I was so angry. Not even scared at all!" she exclaimed happily. "I was totally bad ass!"

"Hell, yeah! My girl kicks ass!" Roy said with pride.

Oliver clenched his fist, trying hard to contain his anger. Felicity stepped up and put her hand on Oliver's arm. And that's all it took. Her soothing touch kept some of his anger at bay. He glanced down at her.

"It'll be okay, Oliver," she said quietly.

He nodded. "I hope so," he said doubtfully.

"We totally have to throw a party and celebrate my first slay!" Thea said. "I'll text Buffy and tell her to meet us at Verdant. We totally got to mark this occasion!"

"Totally!" Roy agreed.

Thea looked at Oliver, waiting for his approval. He sighed in resignation. "Sure," he said.

Two hours later, Oliver wasn't feeling any better. He'd been at the bar drinking a whiskey; something he'd not done much since his first return from the island. He'd danced with Thea once. Then Buffy had shown up with Quentin. She'd had some young girl with a very odd name with her. Thea had told Roy to dance with Sin while she dragged Buffy off in a quieter corner to tell her all about her first kill. Just thinking about how excited Thea was about killing made Oliver feel more than a little sick. Yeah, vampires were monsters. Yeah, it wasn't the same as killing people. However, Oliver had just gotten used to having his baby sister all grown up and in an adult relationship. Accepting her new found desire to kill monsters wasn't something he was sure he could do.

So he took another drink.

Felicity had tried to get into the party mood with her friends. However, it was hard for her to enjoy herself when she saw how torn up Oliver was. Of course, he had on his typical Oliver Queen mask. Diggle didn't seem any more festive than Oliver.

She walked up to him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Carly is off tonight, and I was hoping she'd come join us," Diggle said with a sigh.

Felicity gave him a concerned look. "Have you two been fighting?" she asked.

He grimaced and nodded. "She's been trying to get me to let go of things that I'm not ready to let go of," he admitted.

"Deadshot?" Felicity asked. Diggle nodded. She squeezed his arm. "Hang in there. She'll come around."

"How about you? How come you're not out there dancing with Buffy and Thea?" Diggle asked.

"I tried. But it's hard to celebrate when I'm not sure I'm happy either. How can I be when Oliver is so miserable?" she asked, gesturing to him drinking alone at the bar.

"He'll be okay. It's just going to take him some time," Diggle said. "It wasn't easy for us to find out about him, and we barely knew him. Thea's his baby sister."

Felicity nodded in understanding. She watched Thea drag Buffy back onto the dance floor. There was a longing to join them, yet she hesitated.

"Why don't you go join them? You know you'd be welcome. Buffy cares about you, too," Diggle said.

"Yeah, I know. But I'll never be one of them. Just like I can never do what you and Oliver do," Felicity admitted sadly. It wasn't like she wanted to hurt people. It was just she was tired of always being the odd man out. She never seemed to fit anywhere. Except in the basement. Both at QC and at the foundry. The realization was kind of a downer. Sometimes she wished she could be special, too. Be the one that drew the eye. The one that pulled people in. She watched Quentin as he gazed at Buffy in wonder. He was besotted. Although she felt a small tug of envy, the sight did make her happy to see. Quentin was a good man. He deserved to be happy.

"We don't need you to be anything but the remarkable women that you are," Diggle told her.

Felicity smiled at him. He always knew what to say. "Thanks," she said. She took another sip of her drink and grimaced. She sat it down on a table. "I don't need another one of those. I don't really feel like dancing. I think I'm going to go downstairs for a bit."

"Don't disappear too long. You'll be missed," Diggle told her.

It was kind of him to say that, but Felicity wasn't sure that was true. Oliver seemed content to be alone at the bar. Buffy, Roy, and Thea were dancing. It didn't seem like they'd notice her absence.

She tried to shake off her negative thoughts as she made her way to the basement. Like always, she went to her computers. After fifteen minutes on them, she leaned back in her chair, feeling restless. She got up and walked around the lair. Maybe she should work out. Buffy was right. She needed a greater lung capacity. She never knew when she'd have to run for her life. Now that she knew there was more out in the Glades than just thugs, being in good shape was quickly becoming a priority.

After changing into her black stretchy pants and a sports bra, she grabbed a jump rope. It was the one of the few exercises in the room that required very little skill. She'd just begun working up a sweat when a voice spoke out.

"What are you wearing?"

Startled, she jerked as the rope came under her feet, and they got tangled in it. She crashed to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asked in concern.

She looked up and groaned. Of course, Oliver would be on hand to witness her humiliation. Then she glared; he caused it. "Thanks for scaring me half to death!"

"Sorry! You just surprised me," he said. He held out his hand and pulled her to her feet. His other hand held a bottle of booze.

"Wanted to come drink in silence?" she asked as she allowed him to pull her to her feet. However, Oliver had been drinking steadily for a while, so he pulled a little too hard. Felicity hit his chest hard.

"Oof!" she said. She didn't have her glasses on and squinted up at Oliver. He was smiling down at her.

"Sorry!" he said. His arm had automatically went around her to hold her up. His hand closed around her exposed flesh. He felt his heart speed up at her nearness. Frowning in confusion, he pushed her back slightly and looked down at her. It was Felicity. His IT girl. His friend. She was cute and quirky, always amusing. Her presence had never caused his heart rate to increase. She stepped back from him, and he got another look at what she was wearing. His hand tightened around the bottle he was holding.

Felicity could see him a little better with some space, but she felt naked without her glasses. She turned and grabbed them off the table where she'd left them. When she turned back to Oliver, he'd taken a drink of his bottle and sat it down on a nearby table. His eyes seemed to be fixated on her.

"What are you wearing?" he asked again.

She looked down. "Workout clothes. I wasn't in the mood for dancing, but I wanted to do something. I was jumping rope," she said.

Oliver grinned. "I saw. You look very cute," he said.

Felicity didn't think she'd ever quite seen that look in his eye before. His eyes kept roaming over her body. If Felicity didn't know any better, she would think he was looking at her with approval.

"Cute? What every girl longs to hear. Thanks," she said dryly. She turned away and grabbed her water bottle. Taking a long drink, she watched him as he watched her. His eyes never left her face. He stepped toward her.

As he admired her slightly sweaty profile, Oliver was having trouble recalling all the reasons why Felicity was off limits. He knew that she was attracted to him. She hadn't tried to hide it. However, she hadn't seemed bothered by any of the women he was with, so he didn't think her feelings were genuinely more than friendship. Women were often attracted to him. It didn't mean anything. But this was the first time his body had ever reacted at her nearness. He frowned at the bottle of alcohol. Maybe he should quit drinking.

"Oliver? Are you okay?" Felicity asked, stepping toward him. He seemed confused.

"I guess I forget sometimes that you're a woman," Oliver admitted.

Felicity sucked in a sharp breathe. His words were like a stab in the gut. Although she knew that Oliver didn't see her as anything but his IT girl, she never thought he'd so baldly state it. She blinked at the tears that filled her eyes. "Oh, wow! That's harsh!" she said.

Oliver realized what he said and stepped up to her as she flinched and looked deeply hurt by his careless words. "I meant I forgot that you're a woman. A very _attractive_ woman," he stated carefully. He felt guilty for hurting her. A strong desire to be close to her blossomed inside of him. He reached out and brush a loose hair that was stuck to her face. His hand slid down her cheek; his fingers lightly touched her neck. His eyes saw the breasts that were cradled tightly in the sports bra. Oliver felt his pulse race. He knew he needed to step back and walk away, but the alcohol seemed to be working havoc on his good judgment. His eyes stopped on her lips. Suddenly, he had an overwhelming desire to know what they tasted like.

"Oliver?" Felicity questioned. What was happening? Why was he acting so strange? Why was he looking at her that way? His eyes seemed to have darkened.

"Felicity, I'm sorry. I think I've had too much to drink," Oliver admitted, flashing her an apologetic half-smile. He started to step back from her. Then she smiled back at him, and the smile proved too much for him. His hand reached out and wrapped around her neck. He tugged her closer. Her too intelligent gaze looked up at him, the puzzlement in her eyes. "I want to see something."

"See what?" Felicity asked in confusion. It was like he was in some kind of daze. It wasn't until his lips touched hers that she finally realized what was happening.

*****_To Be Continued******_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: A Kiss That Lingers

_******Where We Left Off******_

Felicity couldn't believe it was happening. Oliver Queen's lips were on hers, his hand holding her head steady, the other moved to her hip. The first slight touch of his lips worked like a lightning rod. Electricity seemed to course from his lips to hers. She gasped in shock.

The slight opening was all he needed. Oliver wanted to taste her—the desire seemed to push out all rational thought. His tongue swept inside. She didn't push him away. Instead, she seemed to come alive at his touch. A hunger built inside him as he kissed her, channeling the frustration and fear over his sister into the kiss. He hadn't ever let himself think of Felicity as someone he could feel passion for. However, now passion seemed like too mild a word for what he was feeling.

Oliver had always thought that when he came back to the island and kissed Laurel again it'd feel like coming home. When they'd finally been together, it had been more like an echo of home. It had felt nice and comforting, but it hadn't been the same. Now as he kissed Felicity, she was once again doing what she'd done since he met her. She was surprising him. She returned his kiss without hesitation. It wasn't awkward or hesitant like she could sometimes be. Instead, he could sense her hunger for him. It sparked his own. The kiss went deeper, hotter. Kissing her felt so right. It felt like home.

Finally, desire for breathe forced him to break off the kiss. But he couldn't bring himself to pull away. Instead, his lips lightly trailed down her cheek, resting at her neck. He couldn't help sucking on it, wanting to mark her in some way.

What was he doing? This was Felicity. This wasn't just some girl. Someone he could screw and walk away from. She was his friend. She deserved more from him. Reluctantly, he pulled back. Felicity's hand went to her glasses, pushing them up as she gaped at him, obviously shaken by what had just happened.

"Oliver?" she said, a question in her voice, her eyes. What was going on? He could see the questions in her eyes.

He didn't want her to talk, to ask questions. He just wanted to keep kissing her. It was the only thing that seemed to make sense. "I'm sorry, Felicity. Nothing is making much sense tonight. But you, _you_ make sense," he said in bemusement. For once, he didn't feel like weighing the consequences; he just wanted to kiss her again. Maybe it had been fluke. Maybe a second kiss wouldn't feel the same. He had to find out.

Without saying anything, he reached down and put his hands on Felicity's hips. He lifted her onto the table and stepped between her legs. She was still looking a bit shell-shocked, but he knew she felt the pull between them, the connection. She didn't protest when he reached out and removed her glasses. He put them aside and gazed into her eyes. The ocean of blue captured him. For a moment, he was mesmerized, trapped in her gaze. Somehow this too brilliant computer hacker saw him. So many others never bothered to look behind the mask. They expected the playboy; they only saw the playboy. Felicity, however, saw the man he actually was. She wasn't attracted to a mirage but to him. Until now, he hadn't realized how much a part of him was craving that acceptance from someone.

The knowledge of that had him kissing her again, wanting to be close to her and needing it more than anything. The second kiss was even better than the first. Now Oliver knew how she tasted, and he hungered for her. Her lips were already familiar to him, her taste addictive. As he kissed her, he was struck with a thought. _He would never get enough of her._ The thought startled him, and he almost pulled back. Almost.

Felicity didn't know what was happening. She didn't know why Oliver suddenly felt a desire to kiss her. She knew that this could potentially be a bad thing. Oliver was as close to drunk as Felicity had ever seen him. But she had wanted him to want her like this for so long. How could she push him away? This might be wrong. It might be a mistake, but she didn't have it in her to refuse what he was offering her.

Oliver's hand caressed her bare belly. It moved up and pushed the sports bra up, freeing her breasts. Breathing heavily, he looked at them. Her breasts were so perfect. Without conscious thought, his hands enclosed around them. Felicity gave a hum of approval. He couldn't resist tasting them, so he bent down and kissed one of them, sucking and pulling on them hard. Now she gasped his name.

"God, Felicity. You're so perfect! I just want to taste you everywhere. I know we shouldn't. I should stop, but I..."

His words were cut off because she took her hands to his cheeks and pulled him in for an open mouthed kiss, obviously just as hungry for him. How had he waited so long to kiss her?

After several minutes, a ringing broke through the fog of passion that had engulfed them both. Oliver pulled back once again, breathing heavily.

What was he doing? He looked down at Felicity's bare breasts and felt another wave of lust rip through him. He reached out and pushed her sports bra back down. Her chest was heaving, her eyes locked on him.

"I-I think that's my phone," she bit out. Her mind was a whirlwind; she couldn't think.

Oliver forced himself to step back from her. Her hand reached out for her phone. She glanced at it. "It's Buffy," she said, flashing Oliver an apologetic look. His answering frown made her feel guilty. He turned away from her.

"Hey, Buffy," she said, answering the phone.

"Where are you? I can't find you anywhere," Buffy said.

"Oh, sorry. I stepped out for some air," Felicity said, watching Oliver.

"Well, get back in here. I need back up! Thea dragged Roy off for some alone time, and Laurel showed up. She's claimed Quentin and is shooting daggers at me," Buffy complained.

"What happened to Sin?" Felicity asked.

"She's no match for Laurel," Buffy complained. "Where are you? I'll come to you."

"No!" Felicity said a bit too loudly. "I mean, I'll be there in five. Meet me at the bar."

"Okay. See you soon," Buffy said, hanging up.

Felicity hung up her phone and hopped off the table. She still can't believe she was sitting on it making out with Oliver Queen. First a vampire and now the man of her dreams was finally noticing her. What an unbelievably strange night she was having! She waited for him to turn back to her, beginning to feel unsure.

"Ah, that was Buffy. I need to change and get back upstairs. I don't think her superpowers involve super-smelly powers, but I better not test her. I don't want to lead her down here," Felicity said.

Oliver finally turned back to her, giving her a sharp look. "You haven't told her about me, have you?" he asked.

"No! Of course not! I'd never betray you. Surely, you know that, right?" she asked, surprised he had to ask.

Oliver nodded, looking relieved. He reached out and took another drink of the bottle he'd brought down. Felicity frowned at his actions. "Okay, well…I'll be right back," she said. She headed to the bathroom, where she'd left her clothes.

Oliver watched her walk away, an ache built inside of him. He wished his life was different. In that moment, he'd never wanted to be just a regular guy more. He wished the island had never happened. He wished his dad was still alive. He wished he'd never picked up an arrow. He wished he could simply be a man who got to kiss a woman like Felicity. A woman worth fighting for. A woman who was so brilliant, so special. A woman that billionaire playboy Oliver wouldn't have glanced twice at. Now he knew her and his life was better for it. _He_ was better. Now he knew what she tasted like, and he knew he'd never be the same. He picked up the bottle, draining it. Glancing at the door that hid the bathroom, regret pierced him. What should he do now?

When Felicity came out of the bathroom dressed in her nicer clothes once again, Oliver was gone. She walked over to the table she had just been sitting on and paused. It was hard to wrap her mind around what had developed between them. She was trying not to panic and overthink. She just wanted to hold on to the feeling inside of her. The empty bottle concerned her, but she put it out of her mind and went back upstairs to find Buffy. A quick scan revealed no sign of Oliver, but she spotted Buffy sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender.

"Hey," Felicity said, climbing up on the chair next to her.

"There you are!" Buffy said grinning. Then her eyes narrowed. "Okay, what did I miss?"

Felicity tried to contain her reaction. "What do you mean? You didn't miss anything. I just stepped out for air," Felicity said, trying to sound casual. She must have failed because Buffy smirked knowingly.

"Yeah, right. I know when a face has had some smoochies! You've been kissing someone! Who's the lucky fellow?" Buffy asked as she scanned the area.

"What?" Felicity asked, trying to act surprised.

"Don't try to act all innocent! I have a younger sister! I know the signs," Buffy said knowingly. "Who's the lucky fella? Anyone I know?" Felicity's face must've given her away because Buffy grinned. "It was Oliver, wasn't it?"

"Oliver? Why would you say that?" Felicity asked, scrambling trying to think of a believable excuse.

"Because I don't see him anywhere, and you lied to me to cover for him. And he is totally hot. If I hadn't met Quentin, I'd totally be crushing on him myself, I wouldn't even care that he was practically jail-bait," Buffy said with a wink.

"Yea, well, you're much more his type than I," Felicity said, a bit sourly as she realized the truth of that statement. Buffy was beautiful, confident, and deadly. Helena? Check. Mckenna? Check. Laurel? Felicity wasn't sure about deadly, but she was the daughter of a cop. Felicity bet she could hold her own in the self-defense department. Felicity, on the other hand, could probably talk a criminal to death.

Buffy frowned. "Why would you say that? You're beautiful, brilliant, sweet, and funny. Why wouldn't he like you? Not to mention you're loyal and a good friend," Buffy said.

Felicity sighed, deciding to confess. "Yes, it was Oliver. I don't know what happened or why it happened. Well, I guess I do. He was somewhat intoxicated, and I was…(she started to say half-dressed and realized she had no explanation she could give for that detail and closed her mouth)…well, it just happened," she said, her voice trailing off.

"That was the first time?"

Felicity nodded. "I didn't think he saw me like that at all. He has a certain type of girl he goes for. I'm not at all like them," Felicity admitted with a grimace.

Buffy gave her a shrewd look. "Maybe he's tired of wasting his time with relationships that will never go anywhere," Buffy said.

"I don't know. We didn't talk about it," Felicity said.

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Your call kind of interrupted," Felicity said, smiling.

"My bad! Sorry!" Buffy said with a sheepish smile. "How about I buy you a drink to make it up to you?"

"I could totally use a drink," Felicity said in relief. It felt good to talk to someone about Oliver, to not have to pretend or lie. After Buffy ordered her a drink, she said, "I'm glad you're here. You're exactly what I needed."

"A friend?" Buffy asked.

"A great friend. Someone to talk to," Felicity acknowledge.

Buffy handed her a drink and held up hers. "To friendship," she said.

Felicity clicked her drink against Buffy's. "To friendship," she echoed.

She took a sip of her drink and licked her lips. They were still swollen. Oliver's kiss lingered still. A soft smile broke out on her face. For a moment, she closed her eyes and remembered.

*****_Chapter End*****_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: So Easily Forgotten

_******The Next Day*****_

Thea walked into Verdant the next morning full of energy. The day before had been amazing. Her brother was back. Sure, he was a bit freaked, but he was already coming around. He took her and Roy out to dinner. Grant it, he had fired Buffy, but Thea was going to ignore that and hire her back. And she'd bagged her first vampire! It'd been totally awesome! _She_'d been totally awesome! For the first time in her life, she felt complete, like she had a purpose. No longer was she just the spoiled and pampered Queen Princess. Her life was going to mean something.

She'd gotten to celebrate with her friends, brother, and Roy last night. Oliver managed to hang out for a few hours. Thea knew he was still upset about the idea of her being at risk. She couldn't imagine what kind of hell he'd gone through on that island. His body was a road map of horror. It wasn't possible he sustained those injuries while alone on a deserted island. Thea knew there was much more to his story. However, she couldn't seem to push him to share. He wasn't the brother she'd remembered, but she still loved him more than anyone. Having him returned alive to her had been her greatest dream. She didn't have it in her to push for answers to the hundreds of questions she had about his time away. Thea figured she had to be there for him and one day he'd open up to her. That was her hope anyway.

She went into her office, turning on the light. Her brother was asleep on the couch in the corner. She grinned, but then her eyes fell on the empty bottle of vodka.

"Oliver!" she called out. She walked over to him and shook him. His arm reached out and wrapped around her throat. Her brother had never in her life acted violently toward her, and she instinctively froze.

Oliver sat up, blinking, his eyes focuses on Thea. Horrified, he released her and stood to his feet. "Oh God, Thea! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" he asked.

Thea rubbed her neck, wanting to cry. What had happened to him to make him react in such a manner when startled awake? The words he'd spoken the day before echoed in her head. _I didn't survive five years in hell and fight my way back to you to stand back and watch you endanger your life. _He had obviously been afraid on that island. Someone or something had made him so fearful that he was prepared to kill any threat. Thea wasn't sure if she was ready to face the implications.

"I'm okay. Are _you_ okay?" she had to ask. "God, Ollie, what happened to you on that island? Why would your first instinct be to have me by my throat?"

Oliver winced and looked guilty. "It was difficult for me," he admitted. "For the first year, I wasn't alone on the island."

"Is that why you have all those scars?" she asked.

He nodded. Then he looked around the room. "Why am I in your office?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me that," she said. "You were passed out on my couch. I'm assuming the empty vodka bottle is yours."

Oliver frowned, his hand rose to his forehead to rub it. He felt like he'd been ran over with a steamroller. "I remember drinking at the bar," he said, his voice trailing off. He remembered going downstairs to his secret lair. "I think I saw Felicity. Did you see me with Felicity?"

"She was with Buffy most of the night," Thea said, shaking her head. "You danced with me once and then went to the bar alone. I never saw Felicity talk to you. Just Diggle. You must have crawled up here at some point. I guess my new job drove you to this, huh?"

Oliver didn't like to make her unhappy, but he didn't want to lie to her either. "Slaying vampires is not your job," he insisted. "It shouldn't be possible, but just because it is, it doesn't mean that's the kind of life I want for my baby sister."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Oliver. I didn't choose this. Fate chose me," Thea told him, not unkindly. She knew how hard this was for her brother. He always was very protective. More so since the island. "I promise to not be foolish or needlessly put myself in danger, but I can't promise not to do something when someone is about to be hurt."

Oliver wasn't a big enough hypocrite to admonish her not to do what he'd done every day for nearly eight months, but he would never be okay with this. "Thea, it's not just about you being in danger. I can already see you've learned quite a bit about fighting and how to protect yourself," he acknowledged. "But killing changes a person. It doesn't matter if you're killing people or monsters. Taking anyone's life will weigh on you. I know you. I don't want that for you. I don't want you tainted or weighed down by darkness."

Thea gave him a searching look. For once, he was not wearing the normal mask he hid behind. He was speaking from the heart. It killed her that when he was finally opening up to her, she'd have to disappoint him. But she had to acknowledge he had a point. She'd seen the shadows in Buffy's eyes. There was a cost to being a slayer. "Ollie, you and I have already been tainted by darkness. We lost Dad. Tommy's dad killed him, killed Tommy, and killed hundreds more. We knew that man. Mom was party to it. We're already tainted," Thea said quietly. She leaned up and kissed her brother on the cheek. "I love you, Oliver. More than anyone. I'm so glad you're back in my life. I don't like disappointing you, but I can't agree to walk away from this. But I promise to be careful. I won't let myself get pulled under."

Oliver nodded. He hugged her before walking out of the office. Thea couldn't know and may never know the lengths Oliver would go through to make sure she never became like him.

******_Later in the Day******_

Buffy had gotten up before ten like she always did even after her late night. Sin had looked at her in disbelief when she'd awoken from the couch to the sight of Buffy doing some Ti Chi.

"Seriously? We didn't get home until 3am, and you are wide awake before noon _exercising_!" she exclaimed incredulously. "What kind of drugs are you on and can I get some, please?" She sat up and looked suspiciously at Buffy.

Buffy grinned. "No drugs. Just good, clean living! I didn't even have more than one beer last night," she said with a cheeky grin. "I have an insanely high metabolism and very high energy level."

"I'll say," Sin grumbled.

Buffy finished her movement and looked up at Sin. "Did you have fun last night?" she asked.

Sin couldn't believe she got to party with Thea Queen and her boyfriend, who she'd actually seen around the Glades before. It'd been a wild ride. "I did. Thanks for dragging me along. It's good to see how the other half lives," she said.

"They put on their pants one leg at a time just like we do," Buffy said.

"So what's the dealio with your cop's daughter? Did she have a stick up her butt or what?" Sin asked with a snicker.

"Well, Laura's been through a lot, and her father is all she has. She's a bit overprotective. I'm not exactly her favorite person," Buffy said. "I think she is convinced I'm just toying with her dad and will hurt him."

"Are you?" Sin wondered.

"No. It's been a long time since I've let myself even get close to a man. About two years actually. Quentin is special. I think I could really love him," Buffy said, her voice trailing off. If she'd let herself was what she left unsaid. Too many wrong decisions when it came to her love life had made her more than cautious, more than wary. In fact, she'd gotten close to Quentin much quicker than she ever had before. It was exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time. She was actively trying not to think too far into the future and all the ways things could go wrong.

"That's cool. He seems better than most cops," Sin said. She pushed off her blanket and put her feet on the floor. "Any coffee?"

"No. I don't usually keep it, but we can go to the diner around the corner. Get some food. I'm starving," Buffy said. "We'll need the fuel for our day of house hunting!"

"You don't need me for that," Sin said warily.

"Sure I do! Who else will I have to blame if I get a place I end up hating? It's always good to have someone else to blame. My sister Dawn taught me that," Buffy said, grinning.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You don't know me. I could be a psycho killer or something," Sin said, still suspicious of her good fortune.

"Because everyone needs someone to be nice to them. I was alone once in a big city when I was your age. It wasn't easy," Buffy said, remembering the time she'd run away for months to L.A. after she'd been forced to kill Angel, the man she'd loved, in order to save the world. In her mind, love always meant sacrifice. "Besides, if you're a psycho killer, the public is safer if you're with me." She stood to her feet and held out her hand to Sin. She pulled her up. "Get dressed and we'll head out."

Sin nodded. She didn't get why the woman was being so nice, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to walk away either. If things went south, she figured she could then.

*****_Verdant*****_

Felicity still had trouble believing that she and Oliver had made out like that the night before. Sure, she'd thought about it. Who wouldn't if they got an upfront viewing of a shirtless Oliver on the salmon ladder the way she had? The man was a work of art. Also, he had a way of looking at a woman that made her feel like you were the most important thing in his world. It was really hard not to be attracted to him. Felicity had tried really hard. She constantly listed a litany of all his faults. And he had many. His history with women—the Lance sisters included—was pretty sordid. He was not boyfriend material. But sometimes Felicity wasn't sure she cared. Her attraction was so strong. Last night was evidence that the man could kiss like the devil. She felt herself grow warm just thinking about it.

It was after six, and he hadn't called her or sent her a text. She didn't want to push him or come across pathetic or needy, so she hadn't tried to contact him. However, she'd been unable to resist going to the Foundry after she got off work, hoping he'd show up. Diggle had plans with Carly, so they could talk in private. Felicity was determined that tonight they would talk about what was going on with them. The work they did was too important for things to change if he wanted to just scratch an itch. He'd been celibate two months. Maybe he just needed a woman and Felicity had been handy. He had been drinking more than she'd ever seen. Felicity knew that this morning he could've woke up and thought it was a huge mistake. A part of her even wondered the same thing.

The door opened, and she heard footsteps going down the stairs. Her stomach clenched nervously as Oliver appear. She turned to face him.

"Hey," she said.

"Hello," he said, giving her a small smile. There wasn't anything intimate in it. No, loving look from him. No,_ I_ _want to sex you up again_ look either. "Is Diggle coming in? I thought we could work out."

"No. He has plans with Carly," Felicity said. Taking a deep breath, she decided to jump in with both feet. "So about last night."

Oliver grimaced. "I can't believe my sister is a vampire slayer!" he complained. "Can my life get any weirder?" He looked at the glass case that Felicity had so painstakingly placed his hood.

Felicity saw his glance. "Do you want to patrol? There's no shortage of bad guys. The city, especially the Glades, is coming apart at the seams. There's this new thug that's moved in that they call The Mayor. Maybe you can teach him some humility?" she suggested, so excited at the thought of him suiting up again she momentarily forgot the change between them.

Oliver couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. When she returned his smile, he got a flash of her topless and moaning his name. The image so startled him that he took a step back, shaking his head in an attempt to dislodge the highly inappropriate imagine. _What the hell?_

"What's wrong?" Felicity asked.

"Uh, nothing really. I'm just feeling a bit off tonight. Too much vodka. Probably not a good idea to patrol," he said, unable to look her in the eyes. "I'll just work out."

Felicity frowned as he turned and began to take off his shirt. "Uh, shouldn't we talk first about what happened last night?" she asked awkwardly.

Oliver turned back to her, his eyes stormy. "I want to completely forget last night even happened! At least for a little while!" he said with a grimace. Seeing his sister kill a man that turned to dust wasn't something he was likely to forget, but he wanted to not focus on it for a few hours.

Felicity flinched like he'd slapped her, taking an involuntary step backward. For once, she was speechless. She blinked back tears.

Oliver didn't understand her reaction. "What's wrong?" he asked. He reached for her, his instinct always to soothe her.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled. She turned away and grabbed her bag, not even bothering to shut off her computers. She ignored Oliver's call of her name.

She made it to the stairs as Diggle was coming down. She took a deep breath and blink backed her tears. Falling apart would have to wait until she made it home. "What happened? I thought you had a date?" she asked him.

"Carly decided it's over," he said grimly. "Thought I'd come here and blow off some steam."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. It seemed tonight was a heartbreak for both of them. "He's all yours."

Diggle passed her as she headed out the door. He noticed Oliver looking confused. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"Nothing. Felicity got upset with me for some reason and left abruptly."

"Really? Well, I'm sure it'll blow over," Diggle said confidently. "Want to work out?" He had enough of his own relationship drama without getting in the middle of theirs.

"Sure," Oliver said.

"I'll go change," Diggle said. He turned to go to his locker.

Oliver, though, found his attention fixated on the table for some reason. It was like something was on the edge of his memory. A half remembered dream or something. Suddenly, an image of Felicity in a sports bra and stretchy pants flashed in his mind. He frowned. She had never worn that down there around him. Not since he'd returned. Then he saw her sitting on the table there. He was kissing her like he would die if he didn't get enough of her. What was wrong with him? He blinked, trying to dislodge the image. It was obvious he'd been single too long if he was starting to fantasize about Felicity!

******_The Next Evening******_

Buffy was practically floating, she was so giddy. She'd signed a six month lease on a really cute house on the outskirts of the Glades. It had 3 bedrooms. The master bedroom was far enough away from the other rooms to ensure her some privacy. Sin could have a room, and there would be a room for any of her slayers who came to town. It was inevitable that some would. She drew them as easily as she drew vampires. Sin tried not to show excitement, but Buffy could tell she was happy at the thought of having a home again. The young woman had yet to reveal her backstory to Buffy outside of saying her parents were dead. However, Buffy figured it'd come eventually. Roy and Thea had already seen her new place. She'd called them while she was there too excited to wait, and they drove to check it out. Quentin was at work, so she couldn't show it to him yet. She'd called him, though, and knew he was very happy she'd found a nice place. Buffy knew it meant a lot to him to be assured she wasn't going to disappear on him so easily.

Felicity was next on her list to brag to. She'd called and text the girl several times without a response. She'd even called Diggle, who admitted he'd not seen or heard from her all day. Buffy decided she'd go to her house. Felicity's car was in her normal spot, so Buffy knew she was home. However, when Buffy rang the bell, there was no answer. She banged on the door.

"Felicity! I know you're in there! Open the door!" she yelled. "I'm not leaving until you do!"

A minute later, the door opened. A disheveled and obviously unhappy Felicity answered the door. "What's up?" she asked, not opening the door completely.

"I wanted to show you my new place I found. Why aren't you answering your phone?" Buffy asked.

"I turned it off. I wasn't in the mood for conversation. It's one of those days," Felicity said listlessly.

Buffy examined her face. It was clear that she'd been crying. "What's going on? Who hurt you? You've been crying," Buffy said, angry at the thought of anyone hurting such a sweet and kind person.

Felicity debated on whether or not she should try and discourage Buffy from probing further, but she knew it was a waste of energy. In the short time she'd known her, she'd realized how relentless the woman could be. She opened her door wider and stepped back so Buffy could come in. "Can I get you something to drink?" she offered.

"No, I'm good. What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Not too much. Just trying to recover from the most humiliating experience of my life and coming from me that says a lot," Felicity said, an uncharacteristic note of bitterness in her voice.

Buffy was no stranger to humiliation, so she instantly sympathized. "I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you thought. What happened?" she probed.

"Oliver made it very clear to me that he wanted to completely forget about what happened the other night," Felicity flatly.

"What?" Buffy said in disbelief.

Felicity threw herself down on the couch and closed her eyes, recalling the scene as she had nearly every hour the past twenty-four hours. "I told him we should talk about what had happened. He told me in no uncertain terms that he wanted to completely forget the night ever happened," she said. How could the hottest moment of her life be so easily dismissed by him? What she so lacking? Felicity figured she must be lacking a lot compared to his normal type. Hurt and humiliation warred for dominance inside of her.

"Seriously? What exactly did he say?" Buffy asked.

"That's what he said exactly. He wanted to forget the night even happened. Then he went off to the gym to exercise," she said. That was mostly true. The secret lair was kind of like a gym. Oliver did gym-like things there.

Buffy felt her anger building as she recalled her first sexual college experience with Parker. She'd been a freshman in college, still hurting over her final break-up with Angel, who she'd had sex with exactly one time before he'd turned into a murderous fiend. Parker had seduced her with all the right words. When she'd had sex with him, he pretended the next day like it was no big deal, like it had been just a hook-up. She thought she'd found this great guy who really liked her, who wanted to be her boyfriend. Instead, she was just another freshman on his belt. The sting and humiliation of that experience had lingered a long time. To think that Oliver Queen had dared treat Felicity so callously, so cruelly filled her with real rage. She got to her feet. "I'm going to kill him!" she fumed.

Felicity jumped up. "No! Don't make it worse. Please!" she begged. "I just want to forget about it and move on," Felicity said.

"Good. Forget him. He totally doesn't deserve you! But I can't promise I won't break a bone or two," Buffy said. She headed to the door before Felicity could stop her.

"Buffy! Leave him alone! He's made his choice clear. I'll be okay," Felicity said.

"You will be. But he won't be. Not when I get through with him," Buffy grumbled, opening the front door.

Felicity felt like stomping her feet in frustration. For a moment, she considered calling Oliver and warning him. Then a little voice inside of her said, why should she? Why should he be allowed to be so callous when she'd risked so much for him? Buffy had no idea the things Felicity had done for Oliver. Felicity knew if she did, she'd really make Oliver suffer.

_******Queen Mansion******_

Buffy drove her motorcycle over to Thea's, determined to locate Oliver. She rang the doorbell. The maid answered the door.

"Is Oliver home?" Buffy asked, forcing a smile on her face.

Raisa returned her smile and stepped back to let her in. Thea wasn't home. Buffy knew that she'd be at Verdant at this time. Raisa led her into the parlor while she went to get Oliver. Buffy stood there fuming. A few minutes later, Oliver came into the room. He became concerned when he realized it was Buffy.

"Is Thea okay?" he asked, assuming Thea was their only connection.

Buffy faced him with a glare. "Thea isn't our only connection," she said. She marched over to him and slugged him in the face. His head swung back.

Oliver worked hard to control his instinct, not returning the blow. He glared at Buffy. "What the hell's wrong with you?" he yelled, stepping back.

"What the hell's wrong with _you?_" she replied. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it, especially not someone as sweet and great as Felicity!"

Oliver's mouth fell open slightly in surprise. "What? Felicity? I'd never hurt Felicity!" he insisted.

"Oh, so you think toying with her emotions, leading her on, making her feel bad is okay?" Buffy said snidely. She put her hand on her hip, itching to hit him again.

Oliver read her well and held up his hand. "Wait just a damn minute!" he said angrily. "I have no idea what you're talking about! I've never led Felicity on! We're friends. That's all we've ever been!"

Buffy gave a snort. "Yeah, and Felicity's so nice, she'll probably go on being your friend even though you've hurt her," Buffy said. She gave him a considering look. "I'm thinking that maybe I'll hurt you. I don't care how many scars you have. Someone needs to teach you that you're not entitled to take advantage of girls like Felicity!"

"First of all, how the hell do you know about my scars? Second of all, I have never for one moment taken advantage of Felicity!" he roared, losing his temper. He didn't know what the hell was going on, but the idea that he'd hurt Felicity—that anyone would—filled him with rage.

"My best friend is brilliant like Felicity and a witch. There's nothing she can't find out. I knew all about your family, your medical records before I arrived into town," she replied. "How can you say you didn't take advantage of Felicity? You have to know she likes you. You can't kiss her the way you did and then tell her the next day you want to forget it ever happened! How could you think that would be okay?"

Oliver frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? I've never kissed Felicity!" he insisted.

Buffy paused before blasting him again and examined his face. He seemed genuinely concerned and confused. Buffy didn't know if he was still the playboy he used to be. Felicity didn't strike her as the kind of girl who'd be friends with a guy so callous with her feelings, however. "Yes, you did. At Verdant the other night. Felicity stepped out for air, and you and she had a very clear moment!" Buffy said, trying to reign in her temper at the blank look on Oliver's face.

"I had a lot to drink. Much more than I've had in years," he said with a grimace. "I don't remember at all anything with Felicity. The night is kind of a blank. I remember drinking at the bar. I woke up in Thea's office upstairs with no idea how I got there." He felt a bit ill. The two flashes he'd had yesterday filled his mind. His stomach clenched. A feeling of deep longing came over him. The new feelings left him disconcerted. It hadn't been a fantasy. He assumed he'd went down to the basement, and Felicity had been working out. That's why he had a picture of her in workout clothes. Buffy wouldn't know that, of course. What did he do?

"Well, I hate to break it to you, Romeo, but saying you were so drunk you don't remember kissing a girl who's supposed to be your friend is not much better!"

Oliver winced, knowing she was right. "I'll take care of this," he said flatly. He'd vowed to protect her when he'd gotten her involved in his illegal activities. He'd kept his distance emotionally mainly because he was determined to protect her even from himself. His track record with women was less than stellar. He had never wanted Felicity to be hurt by him or his work.

"If you don't have real feelings for Felicity, you need to stay the hell away from her! She is too wonderful, too kind to be jerked around. And she definitely deserves more than some drunken hook up!" Buffy said. "Hurt her further and I'll hurt you." Giving him one final glare, she stormed out of the room.

Oliver's annoyance with the woman left. Her anger and disdain were completely justified. His mind kept replaying the two scenes. If he'd seen and kissed Felicity's naked breasts, things had gone pretty far between them. He suddenly recalled Felicity's words the evening before. _Should we talk about what happened last night? _He'd wrongly assumed she'd been talking about Thea. He'd never been so wrong. His response had hurt her. Now her reaction made perfect sense. He didn't know how he was going to fix this. He didn't know what he wanted to happen, but he knew he had to find a way to make this right. He headed out the door, determined to find her.

******_Chapter End******_

_Reviews are so lovely!_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Never Without You

_*****Where We Left Off******_

Oliver drove to Felicity's place not sure what exactly he was going to say to her. He recalled his conversation with her the previous evening. He remembered her wanting to talk about what had happened the night before. The look of hurt on her face when he told her he didn't even want to think about the night before was burned into his memory. He'd been puzzled by her out of character behavior to his remark. For the first time, he was grateful for Buffy. She told him what Felicity had not. Hurting Felicity was the last thing he'd want to do. She mattered too much to him. Knowing he'd done so was killing him.

Leaving her and Dig after the Undertaking had been bad enough. He still had trouble believing she jumped out of a plane for him. From the beginning, she'd been willing to do things that didn't come easy for her simply because she'd believed in his mission. She believed in him. In his entire life, Oliver wasn't sure anyone believed in him the way Felicity did. Not really. His family loved and supported him. They had, though, learned to be disappointed by him. Since the Island, he'd only pretended to be his old self. However, he'd made mistakes. Disappointing Tommy so badly before he'd died had been one he could never take back. He never wanted Felicity to look at him the way so many others in his life had. The regret and resigned disappointment his parents and Laurel had had when looking at him was something he thought he'd never see when he looked at Felicity. It made him sick to think that could change. That she'd start looking at him that way. He had to find a way to fix this.

The memory of kissing her played over and over in his mind. Before, he'd fought it because he thought it was an inappropriate daydream about his friend. Now that he realized it had actually happened, he felt differently. He'd worked hard at ignoring Felicity's obvious feminine assets. He'd never before had a female friend—only lovers and ex-lovers. His relationship with Felicity had been singularly unique. Getting drunk and taking advantage of her was inexcusable. He never let himself consider for a moment that she might've wanted him to take advantage of her.

A new flash of memory came to him. So caught up in it was he that he barely noticed that he'd arrived at her house. Instead, his mind was filled with images of her. He saw her face. She put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Memories of how he felt as her tongue twined with his caused him to harden. He took a deep breath as he turned off his bike. Running a hand over his face, he fought for composure. He had to get himself under control before he talked to her. He didn't want to repeat the mistake that had gotten them to this point.

Two minutes later, he was at her door. He recalled the last time he'd been there, the day he'd told her goodbye. He had a feeling the conversation he was about to have with her would be even harder.

When her doorbell rang, Felicty's stomach clenched in dread. She looking into the peephole and groaned. It was Oliver. Naturally. Suddenly, she just knew that big mouth Buffy had confronted Oliver like she'd threatened. Felicity looked again in the peephole and saw an already forming bruise on his left cheek. She wasn't sure if that gave her satisfaction or filled her with guilt. Nevertheless, she kept the chain on the door and opened it. Oliver looked at her with regret and more than a touch of guilt.

"Why are you here?" she asked him through the open door.

"Please, open the door, Felicity. We need to talk," he said, impatient as always.

"Now's not a good time," she said. She looked down at the t-shirt and sleep shorts she had on. Using one of her sick days, she'd skipped work, not having the energy to even shower or dress. It was not really how she wanted Oliver to see her.

"Please, Felicity," he begged, a note in his voice she'd never heard before.

Sighing loudly, she shut the door and took off the chain. Before opening it, she looked once more at her clothes. Oh, well. It wasn't like he found her that appealing anyway. He'd made that perfectly clear the evening before. Why try to impress him anymore?

Oliver was relieved that she let him in. However, he was taken aback at her disheveled appearance. Felicity was always so put together. Her hair wasn't straight and neat like it'd been lately. Instead, it looked uncombed. She wasn't even dressed, but she was obviously wearing her sleeping clothes. She gave him a defiant look as if daring him to comment on it.

"Thanks," he said simply.

She said nothing. For once, her face was devoid of both make-up and emotion. Both disturbed him. He'd gotten so used to her open expression that the lack of one struck him hard. She turned away and walked into the living room. He assumed he was to follow, so he did. She stopped at the couch and sat down in the corner of it next to a chair. Hugging a pillow to her, she looked at him expectantly. It was obvious she wasn't about to make this easy for him.

Grimacing, he sat down and tried to think of what to say, but words escaped him. He gazed at her, trying to figure out how to make this right. She looked so young without her make-up. He thought of her age. Twenty-four. She'd had a birthday over the summer while he'd been gone. She was four years younger than him. It might've seemed like not a lot, but sometimes like now, it seemed like an ocean existed between them. He felt so much older than his twenty-eight years. He had been on the island for two years when he was her age. He'd already killed his first man and watched his father kill himself when he was her age. He'd had too many experiences that he never liked to think about—let alone recount. They were so different.

And yet…

He needed her in his life. Maybe more than he needed anyone. Thinking he could lose her now made him realize exactly how much he had grown to depend on her.

"I'm sorry, Felicity," he said sincerely. He was sitting in the chair next to her, his body turned toward her.

"For what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For taking advantage of you. For getting so drunk I barely remember what happened between us. For hurting you," he said apologetically.

"Oh, so now you remember?" she asked bitterly. She should've realized it had only been the alcohol behind his actions. Sober, he had no trouble controlling himself.

A look of chagrin and guilt came over him. "Well, I had two flashes of kissing you, but I didn't realize they were memories. It was fuzzy, and you were wearing work-out clothes. You never wear that, so I thought it was just my mind playing tricks," he said.

"Yeah, because the thought of kissing me is so unbelievable," she said sarcastically. "You had to be black-out drunk to even manage the deed."

"No, that's not it!" he insisted. She looked away. Frustrated at the distance between them both literally and figuratively, he got up and sat down next to her on the couch. He reached for her hand, but she pulled back, curling her legs up under herself so no part of her was touching him.

Her blatant rejection stung. "You know how important you are to me," he told her.

"Do I?" she wondered. She had thought she was. Then he'd left and stayed gone. If she and Diggle hadn't went after him, who knew how long he'd have stayed gone.

"You are very important to me," he said firmly. "I'd never do anything to hurt you."

"What exactly do you remember?" Felicity asked, needing to know.

"I remember things getting pretty intense between us at the club. You were on a table wearing a sports bra," he said. "Then you weren't." His eyes darkened a bit as he recalled the memory of her naked breasts. The memory became clearer, and he recalled his lips sucking hard on their tight orbs. His eyes couldn't help going down to them. She wasn't wearing a bra; he'd noticed that as soon as he came in. Now, however, the pillow was shielding them from his gaze.

Felicity flushed in embarrassment. She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. This was so humiliating! It was worse having him remember pieces but not the emotion behind it. He had wanted her. In her entire life, Felicity had never experienced that level of passion. The one lover she'd had in college had not at all prepared her for Oliver Queen. She doubted any man could have. To know that he didn't recall what he felt and only snatches of what they'd done hurt. She worked hard to push her pain aside, knowing deep down he hadn't meant to hurt her. He didn't have it in him to consciously hurt her. That was one of the many things she loved about him.

Without looking at him, she said, "It's okay, Oliver. You were drunk. It didn't mean anything. Why don't we both just forget it ever happened?"

"I hurt you. I don't want to pretend that never happened," he said.

She finally looked at him, seeing his sorrow and regret. The anger she'd been feeling dissipated. "You hurt me because I thought you were just blowing me off like I didn't matter. Like what happened was not worth remembering," she answered honestly.

"It _was_ a big deal. You matter," he said earnestly. "Felicity, I've never had a relationship like ours."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never really had a female friend. I always seem to screw things up with the women I've been involved in, so I've worked hard at thinking about you as a friend, a partner. I've done so not because I didn't find you attractive. I did so because you were too important to me. I need you. I started all this alone thinking I didn't need anyone. You and Dig showed me how wrong I was," he admitted. "I don't know if I can put on the suit again. If I did, I can't imagine doing it without you and Dig. But I don't want to be a killer."

"You're not!" she couldn't help but say.

He smiled. "See, you can't help it. You always look at me and see the best version of me. I know I'll never be exactly the man you think I am, but I want to be. You make me want to be a better man, a better friend, a better everything," he said. "I can't lose that. If things change between us, if we become more than friends, I'll lose you. I always do. And I can't lose you, Felicity. I'm not sure I'd know how to exist anymore in this world without you here to anchor me. I don't want to ever be without you."

"I hadn't really planned on going anywhere, Oliver. You're the one that left," she reminded him.

He winced and looked away. "Sometimes being back in the real world away from the Island can be overwhelming. I was on my own so long. Surviving was my main goal. I didn't have much room for anything else. I don't seem to do well when things begin to fall apart," he said quietly, hoping she'd understand.

Felicity felt compassion for him and was happy he'd confided in her. However, she didn't know if she wanted things to be the way they were between them. She didn't think she could forget what happened between them. She'd had done a lot of fantasizing about Oliver, but the reality had surpassed every dream. How could she just shut that down? "I'm not sure what you want from me, Oliver," she told him.

"I want you to not be mad at me," he said.

"I'm not," she said.

"I don't want you to be hurt either. I couldn't bear it if I destroyed our friendship," Oliver said. That was one of his greatest fears. Losing her in any way was always in the back of his mind. It's why he kept a careful distance between them.

"Relationships change, Oliver. They evolve. People grow. Sometimes they grow closer and sometimes they grow apart. It's natural," Felicity said.

"I don't want us to grow apart," he said.

"But you don't want us to grow closer either," she said, waiting to see if he'd deny it. When he remained silent, a look of resignation and acceptance came over her. Oliver hated that look, but he wasn't sure how to change it. "You have to know how I feel about you, Oliver. I've kept those feelings mostly locked away in a tight box. What happened between us the other night just made it all too real for me. The box has been opened. I'm not sure I can go back. I don't think the box can be closed again. And I'm not sure I want it to."

"Don't say it," Oliver begged. If she said the words, they would never be able to go back. Things would be changed forever. He couldn't let it happen. He didn't want to lose her. How could he keep fighting without her?

She gave him a small smile. He was so odd sometimes. She'd never known anyone so desperate for love and so afraid of it at the same time. "Oliver, whether or not I tell you that I love you won't change how I feel. It won't make it not true," she said. Suddenly, she realized that saying the words didn't freak her out. She wasn't terrified. Instead, she felt free. Her love for him wasn't conditional. It wouldn't go away if he didn't return it. Her love for him didn't and wouldn't destroy her. Instead, it empowered her. She'd fought it for so long, but now as she looked at him, she realized she didn't want to anymore. Regardless of what happened between them, she didn't want to pretend anymore.

Oliver's eyes searched hers. All he saw was love and acceptance. He wanted to smile; he wanted to cry. He was happy; he was terrified. "Don't love me, Felicity! I don't want that for you! The women who love me always end up broken and destroyed," he said, a touch of desperation to his words. He turned away from her, unable to bear the responsibility of her love, convinced he knew how it'd end.

Felicity finally uncurled her body and reached out and took his hand. He wouldn't look at her. She moved forward and put her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Oliver, that's so not true. Helena was broken before she met you, and I don't think she actually loved you. Laurel may have been hurt a lot by you, but you didn't destroy or break her. She went on with her life. She became a very successful lawyer. She found love again. What happened to Tommy was in no way your fault. And Sara…well, I'm sad for what happened to her. Detective Lance is such a good man. But I don't feel overly sorry for any woman that would sneak out of town with her sister's boyfriend," she said.

Oliver looked a bit shocked. "Are you saying she deserved to die?" he asked, upset at he thought. He had drove Sara to that.

"No! No one deserved what happened to you or her. She was young and foolish. Her foolishness, though, led her to destruction. You may have tempted her to go that route, but you didn't force her, Oliver. And I'm not sure she loved you anyway," Felicity said.

Oliver frowned in confusion. "Why would you say that? Of course, she did. She betrayed her sister for me," he said.

"I just don't think love is selfish. I don't think true love leads you to hurt others. Love is healing. It is selfless," she said. "I may not have all the answers. I don't know everything. But I know that what I feel for you isn't going to lead to my destruction. It's not going to lead me to hurt those I love or to betray anyone's trust. Love makes you stronger. It only makes you better. Don't worry. I'll be okay, Oliver." She smiled at him, realizing she meant every word.

"You can't know that," Oliver said. He was afraid to hope, but he wanted so much to believe she was right.

"If I die tomorrow, Oliver, it won't change anything. I, too, am better for knowing you," she said simply. "I have no regrets. If we are never more than friends, I'll feel the same way. You are worth loving."

Oliver was a bit awestruck. He didn't know what to say. He stared wordlessly at her. She reached up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. It was so quick that he didn't have a chance to respond. Then she moved until she was resting against him. Finally, she moved his arm until it was around her shoulders and snuggled against him. Felicity realized what she wanted more than anything was to feel close to him. For the first time, she actually did. For now, it was enough.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like hours. Oliver didn't want to leave her. Her quite acceptance was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. She left him speechless. She moved him with her generosity and sweet spirit.

Eventually, he realized that she was asleep. He was reluctant to leave her, but after a half hour of listening to her breathing, he figured he'd better. Slowly and carefully, he eased away from her, maneuvering her pillow that was on her lap so that it was under her head. She didn't wake up. He took the quilt she had folded on the top of the couch and covered her with it. Unable to stop himself, he bent down and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek.

She stirred. "Oliver," she said sleepily. She reached out and grabbed his hand. Her eyes didn't open, but she spoke again. "Don't leave me. You're always leaving me."

Her words pierced him, and he sat down on the edge of the couch, his hand brushing her hair back from her cheek. "I'll never leave you," he whispered into her ear. A smile came over her face as she drifted back to sleep, her hand falling away from his.

He closed his eyes a moment, memories once again assaulting him. He was kissing her, and it felt so right. His fist clenched, and he forced himself to step back. Glancing down one last time at her, he wished he was whole. He wished he could be the man she deserved.

Sighing, he turned away and walked out the door. He wasn't sure how he felt. He was still convinced he'd end up leaving her broken and destroyed. It's what always happened. If he became the Hood again, he'd have more enemies. She'd always be at risk. Of course, he knew that was just an easy excuse. Being with someone that was so joyful and full of light would force him so far out of his comfort zone. He wasn't sure he was ready for that. He wasn't sure he'd ever be ready for that.

But he wanted to be.

He got on his bike and looked back up at her window, the soft glow of the lamp he'd left on was a beacon for him. As he started the engine, he couldn't suppress the hope that was birthed as he thought of her and the words she said.

She loved him just the way he was.

Maybe it was enough.

*****_Chapter End*****_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Secrets Discovered

_******A Few Days Later*****_

Sin had to have some space. Buffy was such a force of nature that she was left a bit overwhelmed at times. They'd moved into the new place the day after she'd signed the lease. After calling some guy named Giles, she dragged Sin furniture shopping. Sin soon discovered that for Buffy shopping was like a religious experience. Never had Sin been to so many stores. At one point when Buffy was busy talking to a clerk, she had called Thea and begged her to rescue her. She knew that the Queen girl would have no trouble keeping up with Buffy. And she was right. It was a match made in heaven or in Sin's case hell. However, it brought her a reprieve. She snuck off when they were debating colors of curtains.

She was walking down her new block still feeling a bit discombobulated. Buffy had attached herself to Sin for some reason Sin had yet to fully comprehend. All she knew was that Buffy was determined to be in her life. It was nice to have someone care, but it was also a bit suffocating. Having been on her own too long, she was trying hard to be patient with Buffy's well-meaning inquiries and suggestions. She looked around at the houses in their neighborhood. They reminded her of a life she lived so long ago that she'd nearly forgotten what normal was like.

Her path led her closer to the Glades, unconsciously seeking the familiar. After about ten minutes, she heard footsteps behind her. When she glanced back, she didn't see anyone. Annoyed, she kept walking. A few minutes later, she heard the footsteps again. She moved quickly and then turned a sharp right at a nearby corner store. She pressed herself up against the wall of the building, waiting to see if anyone followed her. When a shadow loomed closer, she jumped out.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you following me?" she demanded. Her eyes widened as she recognized the black leather, mask, and blonde hair. "It's you! Wow! Why are you following me?"

"I…I was just making sure you were safe," the woman said.

"Why wouldn't I be? This isn't exactly the slums," Sin said suspiciously.

The woman smiled. "Well, there's monsters everywhere in this city. You can't be too careful," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Sin said. "I wanted to find you. To say thanks. You saved me."

"Looks like you found another to keep you out of trouble," she said.

"I don't know. Maybe. Buffy won't leave me alone. She's okay for now, I guess," Sin said with a shrug.

"Never turn away a friend. A good friend is hard to come by," the woman said, a touch of sorrow in her voice.

"So what's your name? I'm Sin," Sin said.

"Some call me the Canary," the woman said. "My friends call me, Sara." Then she took off her wig and mask and looked at Sin.

Sin's mouth fell open in surprise. She didn't know why the woman was so willing to share her real identity with her. "Why would you show me your face, give me your name? You don't know me!" Sin exclaimed in disbelief.

"You look like someone I could trust," Sara said easily. She didn't know how to tell her the truth—that she had met her father the day he died.

Sin didn't understand why people suddenly found her trustworthy when she'd spent the past few years having everyone look at her with suspicion. However, she didn't have the heart or the nerve to alienate the masked vigilante. "I guess. I'm no rat," Sin said with a shrug. "Do you live in Starling City? I mean, I keep seeing you around the Glades."

"This used to be my home. I have family here," Sara admitted.

"Do they know how gifted you are?" Sin asked.

"No," Sara said, looking haunted.

It was clear that Sara was uncomfortable, so Sin sought to distract her. "Well, Buffy seemed pretty skilled, too. I'm not sure how. She's not really explained, but I do know she didn't like you taking the law into your own hands," Sin warned.

Sara gave a small smile. "Yeah, I could tell," she said, unconcerned. Her dad's new girlfriend was too strong. It made Sara very leery. In her experience, people with unusual strength never came by it naturally. "Be careful with her. I don't know how she broke my staff. Maybe it was a parlor trick or she learned it at a dojo that focused on such feats. But I'd be careful if I were you."

Sin hadn't thought too much about what Buffy did that night because there had been other things like the near rape to occupy her mind. But Sara had a point. It had been a bit on the freaky side. "Well, I haven't seen anything else freaky from her since then," Sin said.

"Well, I'd be mindful if I were you," Sara said. "If things go south here, you can find me around the old abandoned clock tower. Do you know it?"

"Yeah," Sin said.

"Stay out of dark alleys," Sara advised.

"Don't worry. Buffy's given me the spiel. She drags me with her everywhere it seems. Except when she's with her boyfriend—the cop," Sin said with smirk.

Sara's eyes darkened at the mention of her father. This woman was dangerous and was deeply imbedded in her father's life. Sara didn't know how she was going to go about warning her father. She wasn't ready to face her family. But she also couldn't let some woman hurt her dad. "I'll see you around," Sara said. She put her wig and mask back on. Waving, she walked down the street.

Sin watched her go, not sure what to think of the masked woman.

******_Verdant******_

Felicity went downstairs after Buffy bullied her into jogging. Only Buffy would think two women jogging in the Glades was a good idea. Buffy beat up three different guys, three different times who tried to stop them when they first started out. The funny thing was, it didn't seem to deter Buffy. She just looked at Felicity as if nothing had happened and said, "You ready?" Then started jogging again. She was a very unusual woman. Felicity kept up with her the first two miles, but the third mile became too much. Gasping for air, Felicity said, "Okay, must slow down!"

Buffy grinned back at her and started walking. "Sorry. I get in my head when I start running," she admitted.

"I get it. Sorry to slow you down," Felicity said.

"No biggie. I have an unfair advantage. Supernaturally in shape," Buffy said, flashing her a grin.

"It's so not fair!" Felicity complained. "So what's on your agenda this evening?" They had turned and were heading back to the club.

"I'm going to train Thea for an hour or so then start my shift," Buffy said.

"Oliver hired you back?" Felicity asked.

"No, Thea did," Buffy said with a wink. "Mr. Queen is in for a rude awakening if he thinks he can control a slayer's actions. Thea is her own person."

Felicity frowned, not liking her criticism of Oliver. "Oliver only wants to protect Thea. She's the most important thing to him. His mom may end up in jail for the rest of her life or worse."

"Unfortunately, there's no real protecting of a slayer. We're like a mystical vortex. We draw dark energy to us sooner or later," Buffy said. "Oliver could get killed trying to protect her, and that would destroy her. I have human friends that fought by my side. More than one died. My best guy friend Xander lost an eye. It was gouged out by an evil priest."

Felicity blanched and stopped to look at Buffy. "Seriously? That's horrible!"

"Yeah, I know. If you care about Oliver, you'll tell him to back off from trying to protect Thea," Buffy advised. "He'll only get himself hurt."

How could Felicity explain that Oliver was physically more capable than Buffy realized? In the end, she just remained silent. She'd have to talk to Oliver. She'd already told Buffy about her talk with Oliver. Buffy knew that the two were close, but she couldn't let her know how involved she actually was in Oliver's life. Felicity didn't like the sudden complications, however. Buffy wasn't the type of friend you lied to. Lying didn't come easily to Felicity anyway, but it hadn't bothered her as much before meeting Buffy.

Buffy walked her to her car behind Verdant. When she left to go inside the club, Felicity used the back door entrance to go downstairs. She'd not been by since Oliver had shown up apologizing at her place. Felicity figured Oliver needed some time and space to think. He'd called her, though, every day. The calls hadn't been long, but it had touched Felicity that he was making an effort to connect with her even outside of Hood business. It gave her hope.

Felicity turned on her computers and thought about the last time she'd seen Oliver. It still amazed her that he'd come to her house and been so open with her. She'd felt a real shift in their relationship, but she didn't know what that meant. Oliver was too good at wearing a mask. A little voice inside her head whispered doubts to her. Maybe he regretted their talk. Maybe he'd reconsidered. Since he wasn't the Hood anymore, she didn't see him every day. Talking on the phone, though, helped silence the doubts. She knew now more than ever that she mattered to Oliver. For now, that knowledge was enough.

Felicity looked at the green leather outfit encased in glass. Maybe he'd change his mind. She hoped he'd let them get back to their task of saving the city. Having a mission outside of helping people with their computer problems made Felicity feel like her life was worth more. She liked knowing she made a difference.

She heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up. Diggle and Oliver were there. John smiled. "You're here, too?"

"Yeah, Buffy and I were out jogging. She was meeting Thea afterward, so we met up here," Felicity said.

"What? You went jogging in the Glades? Are you insane?" Oliver asked, outraged. The thought of all the things that could've happened to her upset him.

"Relax, Oliver. I'm fine. Sure, Buffy did have to beat up a few guys that tried to bother us, but she didn't have to call the cops. We ran for three miles. Or rather I ran for two and made her walk the rest!" Felicity announced with a sheepish grin.

Her words didn't reassure Oliver. The Glades had never been a safe place to go jogging in, but it was even worse since the earthquake. In fact, the upheaval had made the Glades a target for the worse kind of scum. Not doing anything about it was starting to bother Oliver.

"It's not a good idea, Felicity. Anything could've happened," Oliver said, still frowning at her.

"I agree. Jog in your own neighborhood," John said.

Felicity nodded, knowing they had a point. "Okay," she agreed.

Oliver stepped closer to her. "Buffy may have supernatural healing, but you don't. If you got hurt…" his voice trailed off, his eyes stormy at the thought.

Felicity couldn't resist reaching out and grabbing his hand. Giving it a squeeze, she reassured him. "I'm fine. Nothing's going to happen to me. I figure I'm the safest girl in the Glades. I have the super-chicks Thea and Buffy to protect me and you and Dig. What could happen?" She grinned at him.

Oliver wanted to return her smile, but the thought of some nameless thug hurting her, upset him too much. He pulled away and removed his shirt. He and Diggle started to spar. It took some effort, but he managed to block Felicity out of his mind for five whole minutes at a time.

A half hour later, she broke their concentration. "Guys! The police just posted a bolo for a missing kid. He's the son of one of the rival gangs in the Glades. The Mayor, the new thug in town, has been encroaching on the guy's territory," Felicity shared.

"What's the name, Felicity?" Diggle asked.

"Lerma. Alejandro Lerma. He's been the main drug supplier to the Glades prior to the earthquake. However, his neighborhood was basically leveled, so he's lost a lot of ground. The Mayor has been pushing into his old territories. They've been fighting the past month. Now the Mayor's kidnapped his son. Probably to force his hand," Felicity said. She waited expectantly.

Diggle didn't say anything. He just waited for Oliver's response. Finally, Oliver said, "I'm not sure why you're telling me. I'm not in the business of helping drug dealers."

Felicity looked incredulous. "Are you kidding?" she asked. She glanced at John. "He's kidding, right?"

John shrugged and looked at Oliver. Oliver had a stony expression on his face.

"We help people. He's six years old! That little boy isn't responsible for the choices of his father. You of all people should get that!" Felicity said. She gave him a look that was both hurt and betrayed.

Oliver was not immune to that look from Felicity. Most days, he was powerless against it. She was one of the few people in his life, he didn't constantly disappoint. "Fine. I'll check it out," he said in resignation. He never thought his reason to put on the suit again would be to save some drug dealer's kid, but disappointing Felicity was never something he liked to do. And she did have a point. Her beaming smile of approval served to smooth away most of his annoyance.

It seemed almost like old times a half hour later with Felicity in his ear and John backing him up. They were at the Mayor's compound, a partially boarded up three story apartment building in the center of the Glades. Oliver approached from top while John moved to enter in the back side.

As Oliver made his move up top, Diggle entered into the building. It surprised him to see no guard at the front door. When he stepped inside, he nearly tripped over a prone figure. It looked like the guard was already dead. Frowning, he moved with more caution. The sounds of fighting nearby caught his attention. "Guys, I don't think we're alone. Someone beat us here," he said quietly. He peered into the room where the sounds were coming from and saw a blonde woman in a mask using a staff to fight off five guys. It looked like she'd already disarmed them. Diggle entered the room. "Need a hand?" he asked her.

She glanced up. "No. Get the boy. I think he's on the second floor," she said.

Diggle nodded and went to the stairway. "Looks like the masked female that's been popping up around the Glades had the same idea we did. She's taken out most of the guards already," Diggle shared.

"Don't engage her," Oliver said. He didn't like knowing another play was in town. One he didn't know nor could he control.

Taking two steps at a time, John made it to the second floor. He checked one room. It was empty. A guy came out of the other shooting. Diggle hugged the wall as he returned fire. The guy went down. Diggle checked the room the man had come out of. It connected to another room. He heard a cry and moved toward the sound. A man with a gun backhanded a young boy. Diggle raised his gun and shot the guy in the right shoulder. He fell and dropped his gun. Diggle bent down and picked up the man's gun and found another one on him. Grabbing that one and the boy, he moved quickly from the room. "I got the boy," he said so Oliver and Felicity would know.

The boy began to struggle. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to take you home," Diggle said to him in a soothing tone. "Felicity, where is the boy's home?"

Felicity began looking that up while Diggle made his way out of the building.

Oliver had found the Mayor, a maniacal black man who kept trying to shoot him. "I'm not afraid of you!" the Mayor shouted.

"Where are you getting these guns?" Oliver asked, recognizing the military grade weapons.

"Like I'm going to tell you!" the Mayor shouted.

He fired his gun again, and a bullet grazed Oliver's arm. He let out a hiss.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Felicity asked worriedly. She hated how powerless she was. She hated not knowing exactly what was happening.

"I'm okay," Oliver said.

A figure came up behind the Mayor. Oliver looked and saw the woman he'd heard rumors about. She moved quickly and hit the man hard in the back of the knee, causing him to fall.

"Maybe you'll tell me," she said. She swung her staff and hit him in the head, knocking him flat on his back.

"Who the hell are you?" the Mayor yelled, still conscious. "I'm not telling you anything! You're going to regret this!"

"Unlikely," she said as she put her staff to his throat.

"Don't kill him!" Oliver yelled. "Felicity, are the police on their way?"

"Yes, their ETA is three minutes," she answered.

"The police are coming," Oliver said to the woman.

The woman looked at him then back down at the man. "He's a cancer. He needs to be eradicated from this city."

"He will be. Killing him isn't the only way to accomplish that," Oliver said.

"No, but it's the most effective way," the woman said. She reached down and snapped the man's neck.

Oliver's fists clenched in anger. He had enough blood on his hands. "She killed him," he said so Diggle and Felicity could hear.

"Oliver, John's got the boy out. You need to leave. The cops will be there in a moment," Felicity said urgently.

"The woman. I need to find out who she is," he said.

The woman straightened up and faced him. "You don't want to know who I am," she said. "Once you do, your life will never be the same." Before he could reply, she slipped out of the room.

"Oliver!" Felicity called urgently. Her screen showed police cars surrounding the building.

Frustrated, Oliver made his way out of the building.

******_Verdant*******_

Roy watched as Buffy and Thea exchanged blows. Buffy would call out instruction and words of encouragement. It was incredible to watch them. Roy couldn't help but feel a bit envious at their movements. Thea had decided the dance floor would work as well as her giant home, so this week they'd been practicing at the club. Roy heard a noise and looked up. He winced as he saw Sin. She was gaping at the sight of the two women moving and fighting like no ordinary women should be able to move. He quickly made his way over to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"How? What's going on?" she asked, unable to take her eyes off of the two women. Thea landed a hard punch to Buffy's face. Instead of getting angry, Buffy just grinned and hit her back.

"Well, I guess if you're going to be hanging around, you might as well know. Buffy is a supernatural empowered vampire slayer. So is Thea. They have super healing, reflexes, and strength," Roy said.

"Vampires?" Sin asked, finally looking at him.

"I know it's crazy, but they're real. Thea killed one not too long ago. They turn to dust," Roy said.

"No, it's not crazy. It explains a lot actually," Sin said, having spent too much time in the Glades.

"Okay, it's my turn!" Roy called out.

Buffy paused and looked over at him. She frowned when she spotted Sin. "What are you doing here?" Buffy asked warily.

"I was bored," Sin said with a shrug. "So you guys do this a lot?"

"I can explain!" Buffy said quickly.

"No need. Roy told me. So you really _are _a superfreak!" Sin said with a grin. "Does your cop know?"

Buffy nodded, relieved she didn't have to explain. The secret identity thing never did sit well with her. "Yeah. He saw me dust some vamps in an alley. He took it quite well," she admitted.

"Sin! Come over here. She can't take us both!" Roy said with a grin.

"If you're going to be around us, you should know how to take care of yourself. We attract bad things," Buffy said with a rueful smile.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Sin replied with a smirk. She walked over toward her new friends.

Buffy watched them for a moment, smiling. It reminded her of her time with her friends long ago. She missed them. Grabbing her cell phone, she walked over to a secluded corner and called Xander.

"Hey, Buff. How's things?" Xander asked as he saw her name on the caller ID.

"Extremely well. Better than they've been in a long time," Buffy said. "But I suddenly missed your Xander-face!"

"It's bound to happen. My face is pretty miss-worthy," Xander said smugly. "So when are you moving on? Faith was complaining about not getting enough action lately. She's probably going to go find some trouble."

"You're going to have to be on Faith patrol. I'm busy here. Training the new slayer. Maybe busy falling in love," she admitted to her oldest friend. He was the first friend she'd made in high school at Sunnydale. His best friend Willow became her other best friend. They hadn't been anything like her friends in L.A. When she'd moved to Sunnydale, she'd made a conscious choice to distance herself from the shallow, boy-obsessed girl she'd been when she'd first become a slayer. It'd been the best decision she'd ever made. There weren't two more loyal friends on the planet.

"Love? Buffy's in love?" Xander said, a note of wonder in his voice. "So who's the guy? Will I like him? More importantly, will Andrew hate him?"

"He's a cop. His name is Quentin. He's a bit older than me with two grown daughters. Well, one died. The other doesn't really like me, but I'm dealing," she said. "Andrew will probably love him."

"A cop? Does he know about your special talents?" Xander asked.

"Yes. He hardly batted an eye. He's pretty wonderful," Buffy said. She heard a noise and looked behind her.

"I'm glad for you, Buffy. I can't wait to meet him," Xander said.

"How's the hellmouth? Anything coming up?" Buffy asked.

"It's going pretty good. With all the rotating slayers moving in and out, we've not had any trouble containing it. I'm getting tired of these Ohio winters, though," Xander said. A Californian native, snow was not his favorite thing.

"Well, come visit me soon. I've made some good friends I want you to meet," Buffy said. She heard the noise again. No one else was supposed to be in the club. She was instantly on guard. "I gotta go. Love you."

"Love you, too," Xander said.

Buffy hung up and slowly made her way to the back of the club. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw a guy in green leather wearing a hood disappear in a door that led to the basement. Thea had told her the basement only contained extra storage space. Naturally, Buffy was immediately suspicious. Determined to find out what was going on, she moved to the door. However, she was stopped by a keypad. Why would a basement door have such security measures? And why hadn't she noticed it before? Why would the Hood be going down into the basement of a night club?

She went back to where Thea was at. When they paused to get a drink, she approached Thea. "So I was wondering why a door that leads to the basement has a locked keypad?" she asked.

Thea frowned, thinking. "Oh. After the quake and all the break-ins, Mr. Diggle worked on security. He didn't want anyone being able to break in through the basement. So even if they managed to get into the basement, they wouldn't be able to get into the club," she explained.

Buffy nodded. That made sense, but it still didn't explain why the city's masked vigilante was using her basement. Without alarming Thea, she walked back to the door. Looking for a good place to stake-out the basement, she sat and waited. Whoever was in that basement had to come out eventually. Buffy was determined to find out the man's identity.

_*****To Be Continued*****_

_I hope you liked this! Reviews are appreciated._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Showdown

_*****Where We Left Off*****_

Buffy leaned against the wall determined to catch the guy dressing like Robin Hood and running around the city. Ten minutes went by, and there was no movement. Then Thea called out, "Hey! We're closed!"

Buffy looked and two thugs were in the club. Roy was telling them to leave. Buffy had to abandon her post to see if they needed her help.

"He told you to leave," Buffy said to the two men. They weren't very old—probably Roy's age.

"We want a drink," one of them said belligerently.

While Buffy was dealing with them, Felicity was watching the scene from her cameras downstairs.

"Oliver!" she called out. He'd just finished changing. "Why was Buffy watching the door?" She'd been watching Buffy stand immobile since Oliver and Roy had made it back. The lack of activity from Buffy was highly unusual. The slayer was perpetually in motion. Then the two guys had come in distracting her.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked, looking at the camera.

"You were careful coming in? No one saw you?" Felicity asked.

"I don't think so," Oliver said.

"Well, you need to leave through the back and go around to the front entrance. Buffy needs to see you clearly not come from that door just to be safe. And those guys may be looking to cause trouble," Felicity said, pointing at the screen.

Oliver nodded and went to obey. She was usually right about these things.

When Oliver made it to the front of the club, Buffy was shoving the two men out of the club. "Do you need a hand?" Oliver asked her.

"Nah. I'm good," she said as she shoved the last guy out the door. "Don't come back!"

Oliver said hi to Roy. "Thea, I thought maybe you had time for dinner? Want to grab a bite with me?" he asked her.

Thea smiled, happy that her brother wanted to spend time with her. She glanced at Roy. "Can you finish the set up?" she asked.

"Sure. Go. Have fun," Roy said. She kissed him and hooked arms with her brother and left.

"Roy, have you ever seen the Hood guy around the club?" Buffy asked him.

Roy shook his head. "No. I used to be pretty obsessed with finding him. I wanted to join his team and fight the bad guys. All this stuff with Thea, though, has distracted me. No one's seen him since the earthquake. I thought maybe he was dead," Roy said.

Buffy didn't share what she'd seen. Maybe she'd misunderstood what she saw? She didn't know. The place had cameras, though. She'd call Felicity. Maybe she could go through the feed. She pulled out her phone and sent her a text. She had dinner plans with Quentin, but she didn't think he'd mind if their friend joined them.

A short time later, the three were having dinner at a Mexican restaurant Quentin loved.

Enjoying her appetizer, Felicity remarked, "I haven't been here before."

"Yeah, it's mostly off the beaten path. I discovered it when I was just a beat cop. Since I'm one again, it's fitting I eat here," he said with a touch of bitterness.

Buffy reached for his hand. "You're not just a beat cop," she told him. She leaned over and gave him a light kiss.

Felicity smiled at the two of them. "You two are so sweet!" she gushed.

Buffy smiled. Quentin looked sheepish. He was still getting used to having such an affectionate girlfriend. His fellow cops, though, were green with envy. Buffy had stopped by his work the day before and dropped him off dinner. Word has spread about his hot girlfriend. The guys were still talking about it. "You know the guys at work can't believe you and I are together," he remarked to her, smiling.

"You had two beautiful daughters, which means your first wife was probably very pretty. Why should they be so surprised?" Buffy asked.

Felicity laughed. She looked at Quentin. "She really doesn't see herself like we do," she commented.

"That's one of the things I love about her," Quentin said, giving her an affectionate look.

"Well, I had a sister that didn't let me get stuck on myself. Not to mention growing up in L.A. where all the women look like cover models tended to keep the ego in check. I'm more arrogant about my fighting skills," Buffy said, smiling.

"Really? We never noticed," Felicity said dryly.

They laughed, and then the server brought them their dinners. It was silent for several minutes as they dug in. Buffy especially took dinner time very seriously. Quentin watched her in amusement. "I've never seen anyone eat with such intensity as you do," he said with a chuckle.

"Slayers need a lot of calories," she said with a shrug. She took a drink and then eyed Felicity. "So Felicity, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure," she replied.

"Can you go through the club's footage? I could do it but that's so boring and tedious. I figure since you're used to being bored at a computer you wouldn't mind," Buffy said.

"Buffy!" Quentin admonished, afraid Felicity would take offense.

"Oh, sorry!" Buffy said, flashing her a guilty look.

Felicity laughed, unoffended. "I know you physical gods don't find what I do interesting or exciting. But I do. It's not boring to me," she replied. "I can do it. What am I looking for?"

"That weirdo in the hood," Buffy said. Quentin was taking a drink as she casually said it and choked. Coughing, he said, "Excuse me?" He exchanged a look with Felicity.

"Well, yesterday I'm pretty sure I saw him at the club. There's a door that leads downstairs that has a locked keypad," Buffy shared. "Thea said Diggle put it in to keep people from breaking in after the quake."

"That's a good idea," Felicity said quickly.

Buffy shrugged. "It's weird but rich folks usually are," she said dismissively. "Anyway, I'm trying to figure out if I saw what I thought I saw and if so, why the Hood would be down there? Roy said no one's seen him since the quake."

"Well, not until last night. There was a kidnapping, and he and another masked figure were spotted on scene. The new player is a woman," Quentin shared.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, I've seen her. She's a murderer, I think," she observed. "She was going to kill that would-be rapist in cold blood a few weeks ago if I hadn't stopped her."

"The Hood killed a lot of our city's criminal element when he first showed up," Quentin observed. "I used to want to nab him pretty badly, but since the quake my philosophy's changed."

"How so?" Buffy asked.

"Well, you know if it wasn't for him and Felicity here, the entire Glades would've been leveled," he said.

Buffy looked at Felicity with interest. She had heard the story about Quentin's part, but she hadn't really connected Felicity to the Hood. "You know the Hood? Why didn't you mention that to me? If you're working for him, you're not going to be very helpful in this case, will you?" she asked.

Felicity mentally groaned. Buffy was so far from the dumb blonde stereotype. Most times she was like a dog with a bone. They were in real trouble here. "First of all, Quentin is the one who actually dismantled the bomb," she pointed out.

"Only with your help," he reminded her, grinning.

"Second of all, I don't know personally the Hood. He contacts me via the phone and asks for my technical help sometime. I haven't heard from him since the quake," she said. She looked at Quentin. "I'm glad to hear he's alive, though. I thought he was gone forever, too."

Buffy gave them both a considering look. Felicity was hiding something. Buffy would bet money she knew more than she was letting on. She glanced at her boyfriend. "So who did you suspect was the Hood?" she asked.

"Oliver Queen," Quentin stated.

Buffy looked surprised. "Really? That's interesting."

"That's ridiculous!" Felicity said. "There's no way the guy who calls me is Thea's overindulged brother."

"I investigated him pretty thoroughly. If it was him, I'd have found out," Quentin said.

"What made you suspect him?" Buffy wondered.

"They appeared in the city at the same time. The Hood seemed overly concerned about my daughter Laurel. He saved her a few times," Quentin said. "But then he has been known to appear where Oliver is. No one can be in two places at once."

"They can if they have an accomplice," Buffy stated, recalling how one of her decoys posed as her with the Immortal in Italy. Even Angel and Spike had thought it was her from a distance. "I have a few decoys myself. Doubles who make appearances from time to time, so people can't track me down. Too many demons and vamps want the notoriety that comes with killing the first Slayer."

Quentin looked a bit horrified at that thought. All thoughts of Oliver Queen left him. "What? Why didn't you tell me? We should beef up security at your place. Sin may be foolish enough to invite a vampire into your house unknowingly."

Buffy grinned, finding his overprotectiveness endearing. It'd been a long time since anyone had been so concerned about her safety. "I wouldn't worry. Sin's more suspicious than even you," she said. "Besides, I can handle anyone or anything that comes through that door."

"An alarm system is a good idea. You can't kill humans, and even though you live in a good neighborhood, women living alone are always vulnerable," Felicity said. "Diggle put a good one on my place. I'm sure he can do the same for you."

"I'll ask him," Quentin said, liking the suggestion. He put his arm around Buffy shoulders. "I know you can handle yourself. But I'd sleep better knowing you had an alarm warning you of intruders." Naturally, he'd make sure the alarm sent a message directly to his phone!

"Sure. If it makes you happy," she said, kissing him.

Felicity was glad the topic changed. Oliver was going to have to be very careful if he hoped to keep Buffy off his trail.

The next day, Felicity was telling him and Diggle exactly that. "I think it's only a matter of time before Buffy finds out the truth about you," she said. "Hunting is her thing."

"True and she already knows about your scars," Diggle reminded them. Oliver had told them about her remarks when they first met.

"I am not ready for Thea to find out I'm a murderer," Oliver said warily.

"That's not what you are!" Felicity said loyally. "Besides, you're not going to do that anymore, right?"

Oliver nodded. "If I'm going to wear the hood, things have to change. Everyone knows the Hood as a killer. I don't want to be called that again," he said. He walked over to the table where his arrows were kept. He picked one up and looked at it.

"What do you want us to call you? I can get the word out," Felicity said eagerly, walking toward him.

He held out an arrow to her, a small smile on his face.

She reached out for it, looking thoughtful. "The Arrow?"

He nodded. "It's appropriate, don't you think?" he asked.

"I like it," Diggle said, smiling.

Felicity was so excited to see Oliver back to his old self that she didn't think but stepped forward to hug him. It was the first physical contact between them since his apology. Suddenly, she felt awkward and pulled back. Their eyes connected. She felt frozen as the awareness built between them.

Diggle coughed, interrupting the moment. Felicity quickly stepped back, her face a flame. "Ah, sorry," she mumbled.

"It's okay," Oliver said, smiling at her. "I'm glad you're excited to get back to work. The Glades is getting out of hand."

"Let's get to work," Diggle said.

Over the next few days, Felicity worked feverishly to get the awareness out of the Hood's new name. Oliver even met with Quentin once and handed off some bad guys. Quentin had been surprised the guys were alive. Oliver, as the Arrow, informed him that he was trying another way. He felt good about helping without bloodshed.

A few times while on patrol, Oliver had shadowed Buffy and Thea. He'd saw them once kill a vampire feeding on a homeless man. He watched what they did carefully. He made a point of keeping at least two or three wooden arrows on him after that. The time he watched them face a creature that wasn't a vampire was too much for him, though. He couldn't let his baby sister face a monster without helping. From his rooftop perch, he shot an arrow through the creature's eye, killing it.

Buffy looked up and saw the vigilante. "We had it!" she called out to him.

"That was our demon!" Thea echoed, annoyed. It was her first demon and the Arrow had taken it from her. She was pissed.

"You're welcome!" the Arrow called down before disappearing.

"What an arrogant dick!" Thea fumed. "He just assumes we need help because we're women!"

Buffy had felt them being watched a few times when on patrol. She had suspected the vigilante had been keeping tabs on them. She was right. She'd not spotted him around the club again. Nor had they found anything on the footage she'd bribed Roy into watching. Then again if Felicity _was_ working with the Arrow, Buffy wasn't so sure there would be anything left to find. "Maybe the sight of an actual demon was too much for him. He thought it'd be harder for us to take," she said, trying to give the hooded man the benefit of the doubt. If Felicity trusted the guy, Buffy wouldn't be so quick to condemn him even though she didn't like what he did. The Glades _was _one of the most crime ridden places she'd lived.

Thea was still disgruntled and complained the whole way home.

A few weeks passed. Thea became deadlier and more efficient all the time. The club thrived. She and Roy became closer than ever. The only thing that marred her happiness was her mom's upcoming trial. It was still a few months off, but it loomed over them like a dark cloud. Oliver had been to see their mother several times, but Thea hadn't been ready. Buffy discussed the loss of her own mother, encouraging Thea to go see her mother. Thea was thawing, but she was still so angry. Now that she felt the depth of her calling to protect the weak, the thought of her mother's role enraged her even more. To be a slayer is to put others ahead of oneself. Her mother had put her children ahead of countless lives. Thea didn't find that admirable at all. It both disgusted and shamed her to know her mother had been a part of mass murder. So she trained and stayed busy, keeping the thoughts of her mother at bay.

Things between Felicity and Oliver were mostly back to normal. Oliver was careful not to touch her, and Felicity respected his desire to keep his distance even though it pained her. She knew that he wasn't ready for a relationship. She didn't want to ruin her working relationship with him by showing how hard it was for her sometimes, so she put a smile on her face even as he kept a careful space between them.

It was about two weeks after Oliver had donned the hood again that he had another encounter with the masked blonde woman. It happened when Laurel, over eager in her new job with the DA's office, set a trap for him. Felicity and Diggle tried to get him to let Laurel's new crusade go, not to try to talk to her. They worried about what would happen. Some things never changed, though. When it came to Laurel, Oliver couldn't see straight. It was painful for Felicity to watch.

Oliver, however, was determined to make her understand that the Arrow wasn't her enemy. Unfortunately, she had plans of her own. He found himself surrounded by police with no way out. That's when the masked woman showed up. Using some supersonic device, she'd saved him. He followed her outside and tried to get her to reveal who she was.

"I told you that you don't want to know!" the woman said. "I'm a ghost. The knowledge will change everything, Oliver." She turned away. Oliver couldn't contain his disbelief. She knew who he was! He tried to chase after her, but she eluded him.

He went back to the foundry, determined to solve this new mystery.

Diggle and Felicity tried to help. "Maybe she's someone from your past?" Diggle suggested. "You weren't alone on that island after all."

"Not all the time. Not at first," Oliver acknowledged, his mind racing. The woman was small and familiar. The thought that came to his mind shook him. He had saw her die. It couldn't be her. "Everyone I knew that was female died. It couldn't be someone from there."

"Maybe you should take a play from Laurel's playbook. Set your own trap," Diggle suggested.

"Not a bad idea," he said.

*****_A Few Days Later*****_

Buffy was patrolling without Thea. She had inventory at the club, so Buffy went out without her. Things in the Glades had reached a fever pitch the past month. The criminal element was running scared since there were now two vigilantes running around. They hadn't lessened their crime, but they'd gotten sneakier. The police force still hadn't completely recovered from the earthquake. Vampires seemed to sense the vulnerability of the city and had been showing up a bit too much for Buffy's liking. She'd stepped up her patrols.

However, it wasn't vampires she encountered that night. Instead, she saw the blonde vigilante in an alley fighting with two men. Buffy walked cautiously into the alley. She didn't sense that the men were supernatural. Before Buffy could get to them, the woman succeeded in killing one of the men.

Buffy picked up her pace and ran. "Stop!" she called out.

Sara looked up and sighed. Her father's freakishly strong girlfriend was about to be a problem. She stopped hitting the man, who quickly ran off. "Those men stabbed and robbed an old lady!" she told Buffy.

"I don't care! You have no right to kill in cold blood," Buffy informed her in disgust. "Humans have laws for criminals. It's not your place to vent out justice!"

Sara curled her lip but didn't reply. She turned her back on Buffy, dismissing her. Buffy quickly moved forward and grabbed the woman's shoulder, spinning her around. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Oh yeah? You think you can stop me?" Sara said to her, smiling in amusement.

"Yes," Buffy said briskly. She didn't like to hit other women unless it was Faith or Illyria. Kennedy maybe. Okay, so she enjoyed hitting other slayers. But not women who weren't. Buffy had already made Willow check. There was not another slayer in town. Willow was never wrong. Whatever this woman was, she was not a slayer. Buffy was about to find out for sure.

Sarah smirked and tried to sweep Buffy's feet with her staff. Buffy easily jumped up. She punched at the woman, but she dodged and swung her staff. However, Buffy grabbed it hard between her hands and once again disarmed her. "You just can't hold on to that, can you?" Buffy asked with a smirk. She threw the staff behind her.

"I don't need a stick to beat you," the woman replied angrily.

"Let's see what you got," Buffy challenged, motioning her forward.

Up on the rooftop, Oliver watched, trying to decide what to do. He didn't know who the woman was exactly, but he felt a connection to her somehow. She had helped him, and he felt that he owed her. However, Buffy was a close friend to everyone in his life. There was no way he could hurt her. Then again, she had superpowers, so it wasn't like he could hurt her anyway. Grinning, he jumped down the fire escape. He watched the two women as they exchanged blows. It was clear that the masked woman was highly skilled. However, Buffy had so much more experience and seemed to anticipate the woman's every hit. She couldn't connect a hit. Buffy always managed to dodge and evade. Finally, Buffy landed a roundhouse kick to the woman's stomach. The power of the kick caused the woman to go airborne.

"I don't want to hurt you," Buffy said calmly as she slowly approached the prone woman. The woman got to her feet.

Sara couldn't believe the skill of her father's girlfriend. Never had she encountered such skill or raw power. No one in the League had her abilities. It just wasn't possible. She eyed the woman with suspicion. "No one is that fast or that strong! Not unless you're on something," Sara said as she got to her feet, facing Buffy.

"I'm not on anything. I've been fighting since I was fifteen. I've fought monsters a lot worse and stronger than you," Buffy informed her with a shrug. "You're coming with me. My boyfriend is going to arrest you." She pulled out her phone and sent Quentin a text.

"I don't think so," a voice behind her said.

She turned and saw the wanna-be Robin Hood and rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You really want to get involved in this?" she asked the man.

"I owe her," he replied with a shrug.

"Okay. I always enjoy making a grown man cry," Buffy said in amusement.

Oliver couldn't hold back the grin. He'd been itching to try himself out against a real opponent, against her. He threw his bow across his shoulder and stepped forward.

Buffy couldn't wait to wipe the smirk off the man's face.

******_To Be Continued******_

_Yep, the fight you've been wanting. The second half will give you something to look forward to. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know with a review._


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16: Unmasked_

_*****Presently*****_

Oliver approached Buffy slowly, testing her defenses, waiting for an opening. Then he threw out a punch, which she easily dodged. He didn't slow down but instead chose to hit out again. Still, she dodged. Then she stepped forward and punched him hard in the stomach, an unexpected move. She followed the hit with a right hook. His head swung back. However, she didn't slow down. She swung again, and he deflected the blow. The fight went on and became a dance as they exchanged blows with lightning speed. Oliver finally got in one hit, but Buffy countered so quickly that he was unable to dodge her punch. His ears rang by the strength of the blow.

Buffy grinned. It'd been a while since she'd gotten to spar with a bigger opponent. Diggle and she didn't fight regularly. He was good for a regular human. However, this Hood guy was even better. He had faster reflexes. However, Buffy never tired—at least not compared to a human. Eventually, he began to slow down, getting frustrated. That's when the masked woman stepped in.

"By all means, join us. I can take you both," Buffy said with a smug grin. "You don't seem to get it. I'm not like you." She used her foot for the first time with the Hood and kicked him hard, not holding back much. He went airborne, crashing in to the nearby dumpster. The woman stepped in his place, striking out. Buffy blocked her and threw a punch, which she dodged.

Oliver got up quickly. He wasn't as surprised as the Canary had been about Buffy's strength since he knew her. However, it was still a bit jarring. Only on the island had he encountered such superhuman strength.

"What are you?" the Canary asked in frustrated annoyance. None of her hits seemed to faze the woman.

"None of your business," a voice behind them said.

Buffy glanced and saw Quentin. She grinned and waved. "Look, hon, new friends!" she teased. Quentin rolled his eyes, but there was a fond smile on his face. Why was he surprised she could hold her own against both vigilantes?

"Except the blonde here is a murderer. You need to arrest her," Buffy stated with a grimace.

"So is the Hood, sweetie," Quentin reminded her.

"Well, you can't arrest him," Buffy said firmly. She had a real suspicion on the Hood's identity. Fighting him, it became even clearer. He was too familiar to her. She needed time to find out for sure. She wasn't sure how Quentin would handle discovering his real identity, so she didn't want him to know until she knew herself.

Sara knew she had to get away before everything fell apart. She was far from ready to face her father. Not after what she'd become. She turned to leave, but Buffy kicked out her leg, knocking the woman's knee out. As Sara fell to her knees, Buffy stepped forward and put her in a choke hold.

"Now let's find out what you look life," Buffy said as she was about to rip off the wig and mask.

Oliver hesitated for the first time since he'd come back to Starling City, but in the end he could only think of one thing to stop Buffy. He pulled out his bow, grabbed an arrow and shot her in her right shoulder.

As she cried out, Quentin shot the Hood in the chest. His vest caught the bullet, but he felt the sting and turned. Another bullet hit his upper arm.

"Stop, Quentin!" Buffy called. "No guns!" The arrow had forced her back, releasing her hold on the masked woman, who wasted no time in escaping. The Hood shot his arrow high and disappeared just as quickly. Quintin, though, was angry and kept shooting at him as he made his escape.

He put his gun in its holster and raced to Buffy's side. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I have an arrow in me," she said dryly. "What do you think?"

"I'm calling an ambulance," he said, grabbing his CB.

"No! You can't!" Buffy said urgently. "I heal too quickly. A hospital is the last place you take a slayer. Only if I'm near death should you ever take me there." She recalled the one time Angel had to. "If I need blood for some reason. Or am in a coma." Faith was put in one of those one time by Buffy.

"What should I do?" he asked, not liking the sight of her in obvious pain.

"Tear away my shirt around the back where the arrow is sticking out. Then break off the tip, so we can pull it out," Buffy ordered.

Quentin did what she asked, but he was unable to break off the tip. "I can't do it," he said in frustration. "It's made of some type of alloy." He hated feeling so weak, especially when he knew she was in pain, and he could do nothing to alleviate any of it. Anger at the Arrow grew. He hurt her. In Quentin's mind, that was a line he should've never crossed. The goodwill he'd earn stopping the Merlyn began to fade.

"Call Thea and tell her to meet us at my house," Buffy said. She'd been shot with an arrow before, but it had been a while. It had been relatively simple then to remove the arrow. She should've known the vigilante would use more high tech arrows.

Quentin pulled out his phone and called Thea, not taking time to explain. He just barked out orders. Buffy smiled even as she winced at the pain. He was so fierce.

"You are too cute," she told him.

He glared at her. "Now is not the time for flirting, Buffy! You could've been killed! What if he'd hit your heart? I doubt your slayer powers would withstand a shot to the heart," he said crossly.

"Probably not unless Willow was on hand to heal me," she admitted.

His hand went up to cup her cheek. "I don't like this," he grumbled. "I don't want to lose you. Not when I've just found you."

"You're not going to lose me. The Hood wasn't trying to kill me. He wouldn't miss a vital organ when shooting so close," Buffy said. "He's been shadowing me and Thea all week. He killed a demon for us once the other day. I don't think he means me any harm."

Quentin didn't feel any better. "Why didn't you tell me? Laurel's been pushing to catch the guy. I've been ignoring her, but if he's going to go around putting arrows in the woman I love, then I'm going to rethink my stance!" he exclaimed, obviously upset.

Buffy's mouth fell open in surprise as she focused on what he'd revealed. "You love me?" she asked.

Quentin winced as he realized what he'd said. He flushed a bit, not meaning to reveal his feelings so soon. However, she was looking at him in a way she never had before. He found himself unable to look away or to dissemble. Instead, he nodded. "Yeah, I guess I do. It's pretty hard not to love you," he admitted with a sheepish grin.

Buffy gave him a brilliant smile. "That's good. I guess I love you, too," she said.

"You guess?" he asked, frowning.

She laughed, jarring her shoulder. "Ow! Don't make me laugh," she ordered.

"Let's get you home and take care of this," Quentin said, putting his arm around the shoulder that wasn't arrowed. He led her out of the alley. Further declarations of love would have to wait.

*****_Felicity P.O.V*****_

Felicity was listening in the comms.

"Buffy is arguing with the Canary woman," Oliver told her and Dig.

"Why?" Felicity wondered.

Oliver listened to the talk. "She says the masked woman is a murderer. She wants Detective Lance to arrest her," Oliver said.

"That may be a good idea, Oliver," Diggle said. "She doesn't have the rules we have."

"She helped me out, though. I owe her. And she knows who I am," Oliver replied.

Felicity rolled her eyes. Leave it to Oliver to want to defend a criminal just because she was a woman. She was probably hot. "Is she hot?" Felicity found herself asking.

"Excuse me?" Oliver asked. He made his way down to the ground.

"Never mind," Felicity grumbled. "Don't get involved."

"Too late," Oliver said.

Felicity groaned. "This will not end well!" she yelled. Oliver, of course, ignored her. She listened as Buffy baited him. She listened as the fight commenced. She bit her lip to keep from distracting him. Felicity knew that Buffy wouldn't kill him or even hurt him too badly. However, she hated that he was fighting her friend. If he managed to hurt her, Felicity would feel responsible.

She could tell that Buffy was holding her own even when the Canary joined Oliver. Then Quentin arrived.

"Ah, oh! Be careful, Oliver. You should get out of there!" Felicity ordered. She realized that Buffy was about to unmask the woman.

"I can't let her get arrested!" Oliver said quietly to them.

"What are you doing?" Felicity asked in concern. "Oliver?" She heard a woman cry out and the sound of a gun going off.

"What's going on?" she asked fearfully. They had heard a clear groan of pain from Oliver.

She heard Buffy order no guns. However, there were more gun shots. "Diggle! Get to Oliver!" Felicity ordered, terrified for Oliver.

"I'm not far!" Diggle called. She heard his heavy footsteps.

Felicity heard a woman ask Oliver if he was okay. It made her crazy not having visual. He could be dying, and she'd be the last to know. It was horrible waiting and not knowing.

"I'm fine," Oliver said. "The vest took most of them."

"Thanks for answering me," Felicity said sourly. Oliver ignored her.

"Who are you? I took a bullet for you. The least you can do is tell me who you are! You know who I am!" Oliver told the woman.

Felicity heard him gasp in disbelief. "It can't be! You're dead!" Oliver exclaimed, a note in his voice Felicity had never heard.

"Oliver, I'm down below on the other side of the building you're on," Diggle told him.

It was silent. All they heard was Oliver's tortured, "Sara?"

******_Oliver's P.O.V.******_

Oliver barely made it the rooftop. A bullet had hit him in his calf and his arm. The pain was no more than he'd experienced before, but knowing that it was Laurel's father that shot him seemed to make it hurt more. He bent over, taking a breath. Felicity was in his ear, worried. He opened his mouth to reassure her when he heard his name.

"Are you okay, Oliver?"

He looked up and saw the masked woman walking toward him from the other side of the rooftop.

"I'm not far!" Diggle said to him.

Oliver answered all three of them by saying, "I'm fine. The vest took most of them."

She bent down and examined the leg. "This one went through," she said.

"Who are you? I took a bullet for you. The least you can do is tell me who you are! You know who I am!" Oliver told the woman. He wanted to know who she was. He _had _to know.

The woman surprised him by removing her wig and mask. He stared at her in disbelief. "It can't be!" he gasped. "You're dead."

"Not so much," she said with a wry smile.

"Sara?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"It's me, Ollie," she said, giving him a small smile.

It was her. He didn't understand, but he limped forward and pulled her into his arms. She was real. Somehow she was alive. She wasn't a ghost.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked, pulling back.

"No, you're not. I'm here. I'll explain later. Go to your friends. Get yourself taken care of," she said.

"I can't. Not yet. How are you here?" he asked, his mind still reeling. "I saw you die."

"Yes, I seem to recall you telling me that once before," she said, flashing her dimple at him.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"I promise to tell you, Ollie. Later. Go get yourself fixed up," she ordered. She turned and walked away.

Oliver watched her go until she disappeared.

"Oliver, are you coming?" Diggle asked impatiently. He was waiting below by the fire escape, his car nearby.

His voice got Oliver moving. Soon he was being led by Diggle into the Foundry.

"Oh, my God! Oliver, are you okay?" Felicity asked in concern, running toward him.

He barely heard her. It was hard for him to focus on anything. The knowledge of Sara Lance being alive had turned his world upside down. The guilt of her death had been like a weight around his neck. Laurel and their father's hatred for him when he first arrived had felt deserved. He thought some of his torment on the island was deserved for what he did. He'd betrayed Laurel with her sister. Then he'd caused Sara to die by taking her on that cursed boat. Discovering she was alive meant her blood wasn't on his hands. He took a deep breath and smiled at Felicity.

"Sara's alive," he told them.

"We heard, but we weren't sure what that meant," Diggle said.

"Didn't you say she drowned when the boat went down?" Felicity inquired.

"I saw her get swept out to sea," he acknowledged, holding back the full story. He wasn't ready to share more. "But she's here in Starling City."

"Going around killing rapists and other bad guys," Diggle reminded him.

"Well, let's get you taken care of," Felicity said, worried about him. "I can't believe Quentin shot you so many times! I thought he was coming around. Since the Undertaking, he seemed to have mellowed out on his anti-Hood stance."

Oliver eased up onto the table and let Felicity take off his boots while Dig helped him get his jacket off. "Yeah, well, I sort of deserved it," he admitted. "I shot Buffy in the shoulder with an arrow."

Felicity's head rose. "You did what?" she demanded. "You _shot_ Buffy? Our _friend_ Buffy? The woman who's saved the world like a dozen or so times? Are you _insane_?"

"She was about to reveal Sara's identity," Oliver explained.

"But you didn't even know it was Sara then, did you?" Felicity asked, upset at his news.

"Well, no, but I knew it couldn't be a good thing," Oliver said defensively.

"So you thought shooting Buffy was a good solution?" Diggle wondered, raising his eyebrow.

"It seemed to be a good idea at the time," Oliver said lamely. "I didn't hit any vital organs."

"Gee, how generous of you," Felicity. "I can't believe you, Oliver! You said you didn't want to kill any more. Yet it's okay for you to shoot our friend who is only trying to put a masked murderer in jail?"

"It's Sara!" Oliver reminded her.

"Yeah, so? She's been going around killing, and Buffy doesn't like that. And she's not wrong. You said so yourself. There's another way," Felicity said sourly. She gave him a disappointed look.

"Now that I know it's Sara, I'm glad I shot her!" Oliver said, raising his chin, a stubborn expression on his face.

"You're joking!" Felicity said in disbelief.

"I need to find out what's happened with Sara. Buffy needs to stick with the supernatural," Oliver said. "I can handle the criminal element. I can handle Sara."

"You're unbelievable!" Felicity said in disgust, holding up her hands and walking away. "You take care of him, Diggle. I can't talk to him when he's like this!" She went over to her computers, debating if she should leave or not. However, she couldn't bring herself to do so until she knew he was okay.

Dig worked in silence, patching up Oliver. Felicity tried to ignore his grunts of pain when Dig dug out the bullet in his leg. Finally, it was over.

"How are you going to hide this one?" Diggle asked him.

Oliver sighed. "Maybe I can pretend to go out of town for a week? Hide in a hotel?" he suggested.

"That's a good idea," Felicity said.

Oliver glanced at her, glad she hadn't left yet. "I'm glad you're still here," he said meaningfully.

"Let me go wash my hands and grab you a change of clothes," Diggle said, leaving them to talk.

They sat in silence a few moments. Oliver stared at her while she looked sad. She wasn't able to hold his glance for long and looked down at her hands.

"Felicity, you know I hate it when you're mad at me," Oliver admitted with a sigh.

She looked up and smirked. "Well, maybe you should quit doing things to make me mad. Like going around putting arrows in my friends!" she exclaimed, still clearly annoyed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see another way to stop Buffy. I knew she'd be okay. She has the super healing. I was careful. It really was a calculated shot," he said.

Felicity got to her feet. "Yeah, well, that doesn't make it okay, Oliver. When the chips were down, you decided shooting my friend, your sister's friend, and Diggle's friend was better than letting some masked murderer you didn't even know get unmasked! Knowing now it was Sara doesn't make what you did okay or justified. I can't support these kinds of choices," she said. She grabbed her bag and put her laptop and tablet in it.

She started to walk by him, and he reached out and grabbed a hold of her hand. Felicity looked at their entwined hands and then up at Oliver. "I'm going home, Oliver. Take care of yourself," she said, biting her lip to keep from saying more. She hated that he was hurt. She hated that he hurt her friend. But she loved him, and it hurt her to be upset with him.

"Forgive me?" he asked quietly. He didn't need much out of life, but he needed her approval. For some reason, the thought of losing her because of his bad choices put a cold pit inside his stomach. He hated to see her upset and disappointed with him even as he knew she had a point. He could've made a different choice. However, the island had taught him to trust his instincts. His instincts had said that the masked woman needed to be protected. Now he knew his instincts were right. He didn't regret his choice, but he regretted that it put that look on Felicity's face. He didn't know how to put into words what he'd felt and why he had learned to trust his impulses.

Felicity sighed, knowing that she was incapable of holding on to her anger where he was concerned, especially when he looked at her like that. "Okay, Oliver. Promise me you won't do it again. No matter the reason. Buffy is my friend. It's not like I have that many," Felicity said.

"You have me," Oliver reminded her.

Felicity smiled at the reminder. "Yeah, I guess I do. Not many people can claim to be friends with the notorious Oliver Queen," she said, her annoyance fading.

He laughed and promised, "I won't shoot Buffy again. No matter what."

"Unless she's trying to kill you. Then, of course, you have the right to defend yourself," Diggle said, coming up behind them. He was glad their fight was over. He knew it would be if he gave them time to work it out.

Felicity shot a glare at Diggle. "Buffy would never try to kill Oliver! She knows the Arrow is human! She's a slayer of demons. Not a killer!" Felicity said loyally.

Oliver squeezed her hand affectionately and then let go of her hand. "I know she wouldn't," Oliver agreed, trying to soothe her. He stood to his feet, wincing as the pain shot through his injured leg. Diggle reached out to steady him, handing him his clothes.

"I'll go so Dig can help you get dressed," Felicity said. She reached up on her tip toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, trying to act casual although she could feel her face heat up. "Take care of yourself."

Oliver gave her a grateful smile. "I will. Don't worry," he said. He watched her leave before turning to Diggle, who was grinning knowingly at him. "Not a word!"

Diggle just laughed and helped him dress.

*****_At Buffy's*****_

Once Quentin got Buffy home, it hadn't taken Thea long to arrive with Roy on her heels. Sin gasped in dismay when she saw the arrow sticking out of Buffy.

"What the hell happened?" Sin asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. We just got to get the arrow out. Quentin wasn't quite able to do it," Buffy said, giving him a fond smile.

Quentin frowned unhappily. "Yeah, I don't have superhuman strength. So sue me!" he complained as he helped her ease into a chair.

"I can't believe the Hood shot you!" Roy said, upset and disappointed. "I thought he was a hero."

"Well, he seems to have some loyalty to the new masked player in town," Buffy said. "I'm okay, though. He wasn't trying to kill me, just stop me."

"I don't see how you can be so understanding! I'm pissed!" Thea said, angry at the sight of her friend and mentor in pain.

"Well, just pull the damn thing out, and I'll be fine!" Buffy said warily.

They watched as Thea followed her instructions, breaking off the tip and then slowly easing out the arrow. Buffy gave a sigh of relief. Sin handed Quentin some alcohol, so he could disinfect it. "It's not necessary," Buffy tried to tell him.

"Let me do this," Quentin asked. While he doctored her up, Buffy filled them in on what had went down. Quentin bandaged her and gave her a new shirt to put on.

Soon her friends left and Sin went to her bed, telling Buffy to yell if she needed anything. Quentin led Buffy to her bedroom, anxious about her. He'd tried to convince her again to go to a doctor. Finally, Buffy had told him he could look at the wound in the morning, and she'd go if he still wanted her to. She knew the wound would be closed up by morning, but Quentin would need to see it for himself before he'd believe.

"I would like to take a shower," Buffy said.

"You'll get your bandage wet," Quentin said in disapproval. "One night won't kill you. I'll help you in the morning."

"Don't you have to go back to work?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. I called and talked to my captain. I'm good," he said. There was no way he was leaving her until he knew she was okay.

Buffy nodded, happy he was going to be there. Maybe she could talk him into sex. Fighting brought all that adrenaline coursing through her. "I'm glad. You can help me relax!" she said, giving him a mischievous smile.

Quentin looked wary and disapproving. "You need to rest," he said.

Buffy leaned over and kissed him. "Thanks for coming to my rescue tonight," she said, grinning.

"I'm not sure I exactly rescued you, but I'm glad you called me. I always want you to call me," he said. She gave him an alluring look. "But I'm still not going to have sex with you until you're better!"

"I feel better already!" Buffy insisted.

Quentin moved to her uninjured side and put his arm her very carefully. "You need to rest and heal," he admonished.

She sighed dramatically but laid her head down on his chest. "Are we going to revisit our earlier conversation?" she asked him.

"Which one is that?" he inquired.

She sat up, frowning. "You already forgot your declaration of undying love and affection?" she asked in outrage.

Quentin laughed. "I don't recall a declaration of undying love and affection," he said.

"Oh, yeah, that's right. You said you you loved me!" she said accusingly.

He couldn't help his the smile that broke out. "Well, maybe I should clarify," he suggested.

"Maybe you should," she said with a pout.

Quentin couldn't resist those lips and leaned down to kiss her softly. "I love you, Buffy Summers. I've never said that to another woman but Dinah. I never thought I'd say it to another," he admitted.

"It's been a long time for me, too," Buffy said. "I love you, too." She kissed him again. When she tried to kick things up, he pulled back.

"Now, Buffy. You need to rest!" he ordered, trying to sound stern. She pouted, but he held firm.

"Fine!" she said, giving in and laying back down on his chest.

After a few minutes, she asked, "So would you like to know who the Hood guy is?"

Quentin looked down at her with a frown. "Why? Do you know who he is?" he inquired.

"Not positively. But I will soon," she said confidently. "Do you want me to tell you?"

Quentin shook his head. "Probably not. I mean, I sort of do since he shot an arrow at you. A part of me wants to arrest him for hurting you and putting arrows in dozens of Starling City's notorious members," Quentin acknowledged. "The other part of me doesn't want to know because I've seen firsthand, too, the good he does. I used to think he was part of the problem. Then the Undertaking happened. He stopped Malcolm Merlyn. He had Felicity call me to disarm the earthquake device. This city is falling apart. It needs a hero like him. If I knew who he was, I'd feel obligated, though, to arrest him."

Buffy nodded. "Okay. If that's how you feel, I won't tell you. But if you ever really want to know, you just have to ask, okay?"

"But you don't even know who he is!" Quentin said, grinning at her.

"Not yet, but I have a good idea. I'll confirm it soon," she said confidently.

Quentin didn't want to voice his doubts but couldn't refrain completely. "Good luck with that," he said.

"Just you wait. Hunting is my thing," she said, giving him a wink.

"A super hunter, too?" he asked with a laugh.

"Tracking. I'm very, very good," she said smugly. The green hood guy could run, but he couldn't hide. Not for long. Buffy would find him. She knew just where to look.

******_Chapter End******_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Tracking

_*****Two Days Later*****_

Sin and Roy had spent the past two days trying to find the masked woman. Roy was pissed that his friend had been hurt because of the woman's appearance. Sin, though, blamed the Hood. He was the one who shot Buffy with the arrow. She didn't tell Roy that she knew the woman's name or that she'd spoken to her recently. They both had just agreed to look at the places that she'd been known to frequent. Sin went up to the clock tower looking for her, a place she'd been spotted around more than once.

Sara was sitting and gazing at a picture of her family. She wasn't dressed in her leather. Sin blinked in surprise. She looked so young, almost fragile.

Sara smiled at Sin, putting away the photo. "Hey," she said. "What brings you by?"

Sin looked around. "Is this where you live?" she asked.

"Most days," Sara said with a shrug. "What's up?"

"You got my friend hurt," Sin said in an accusing tone, crossing her arms.

Sara got to her feet. "What's the deal with that woman? She's not natural," Sara commented.

"Not exactly, but believe me when I tell you that she's a true hero. The kind of hero who does her part to save the world," Sin revealed without being too specific.

"I don't like her with my dad. She's dangerous," Sara said with a frown.

"Lance is your dad?" Sin asked in surprise.

"Yes," she relied. "He shouldn't be with that woman. She's dangerous and could hurt him."

"Well, she is dangerous, but not to your dad. She'd never hurt your dad. She's gaga over him," Sin said. "And your dad is pissed at the Arrow guy. Like royally pissed."

"Is she okay?" Sara asked.

"Yes, she's fine. He didn't hit anything important," Sin said. "But that's not the point. Why did he do that? Do you know him?"

"In another life," Sara admitted.

"Well, your two lives are about to collide if you don't quit with the fighting with Buffy," Sin advised. "She's not someone you want on your bad side."

"Neither am I," Sara said grimly.

"Yeah, I get that. But you're not like Buffy. She's special," Sin said.

"Yes, I know. I fought her. What is with her? No one should be that strong. It's not natural," Sara said.

"No, it's _super_natural, so stay out of her way," Sin warned.

Sara frowned. "What does that mean? Supernatural?"

"I've said too much. I just wanted to warn you to lay low. Roy's out looking for you. I know Buffy will be, too. Unlike Roy, though, she's experienced at tracking," Sin said. She saw no reason to tell her that Buffy had a different target for her curiosity. The Arrow better be as good at hiding as he was shooting arrows, or Buffy would find him. Sin was sure of that.

"I'll keep that in mind," Sara said, unconcerned.

Sin could tell that her words didn't make much impact. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you," she said. Sin was torn between the two women she felt loyalty to. Sara had saved her from a horrible fate, but Buffy had taken her in and given her a home. She didn't like that the two women seemed to be in opposition to one another. However, she wasn't sure what she could do about it. A confrontation seemed inevitable.

_*****The Next Day*****_

Felicity didn't like being out of contact with Oliver for so long. He had checked into a hotel, telling his sister that he was out of town on business for QC. Buffy was entirely too tenacious, so he and Diggle felt that it was wise to hide his injuries. He'd used an assumed name when checking into the hotel. Felicity was still annoyed with his actions regarding Buffy, but not seeing him every day was tough. The two months he'd been gone on the island had been bad enough. Now she knew he was recovering from two bullet wounds alone. It was hard for her to stay away. However, she knew that she needed some space away from him at the same time. She'd told him how she'd felt. Although he'd made it clear that he was attracted to her and felt something for her, he'd made the decision to put a brake on things. She wasn't his girlfriend. It wasn't her place to be by his side when he was hurting. He didn't need or want her presence at the hotel. That was clear. She tried not to be hurt by it. He wasn't ready. How could she fault him for that?

She got off work at QC disturbed by rumors that had been running rampant. Her natural inclination had been to alert Oliver. But Diggle had reminded her that Oliver needed a few days to completely heal. Instead, she got an appointment to speak with Walter the next day.

Felicity was surprised to find Buffy waiting for her by her car. "Hey, Buffy. What's up?" she asked a bit leery. She felt guilty for Buffy's injury even though Buffy was fine now. She hated that she had to lie to her new friend. For some reason, she had a feeling that Buffy hadn't appeared for purely social reasons.

"Oh, not too much. Quentin is being a mother hen and won't let me patrol alone," Buffy said with a grimace. "I've told him I'm completely healed, but he doesn't believe me."

"I guess the evidence of a healed shoulder doesn't do the trick?" Felicity said with a grin.

Buffy grinned. "You'd think!" she said. She actually loved being fussed over. It'd been so long since anyone had. Her friends and Giles hadn't gotten used to her ability to deal with hurts. Only her mother had never gotten used to it. Her mom had been gone sixteen years now. She still missed her. Having Quentin worry, though, had touched something inside her that she hadn't realized needed to be touched.

"So you're feeling okay?" Felicity asked. She felt more than a bit guilty for Buffy's injury. Everything Oliver did was to some degree because of her helping him.

"Yes, I'm good," Buffy replied.

"Why are you here? Is something wrong?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I know you work for the Hood guy," Buffy said slowly.

"I think he's going by the Arrow these days," Felicity said automatically. Then she winced. Why would she say that? Talk about obvious!

Buffy grinned. "Yea, I figured you'd know something like that. I know you probably know his identity." When Felicity opened her mouth to deny, Buffy held up her hand. "There's no need for you to break your vow of silence. That is I'm assuming you have a vow of silence. I just wanted you to know that Quentin isn't interested in ratting out the guy or even knowing his identity. So you can relax."

"You came to tell me that?" Felicity asked in confusion.

"I just came to tell you that I'm going to figure it out. When I do, you don't need to worry. I'm good at keeping secrets," Buffy said.

"Yes, I know," Felicity said with a slight smile. "Did you want to get some dinner? I get tired of eating alone."

Buffy smiled. "Sure. Let me call Thea. We are supposed to go patrolling later since Quentin doesn't want me going alone. She's going to let Roy run things at the club tonight," she said. "It's his first time. I think he'll be fine."

"Oh, can I go patrolling with you guys?" Felicity asked eagerly.

"Sure," Buffy said.

Felicity was surprised. She expected a no. "Really? You don't care?" she asked.

"Well, there's not much demonic activity here in Starling City," Buffy said with a shrug. "And I had civilians helping me in high school that were like you, and we lived on an actual hellmouth. You can get hurt, but there's two slayers and no real Big Bad. You should be fine."

Felicity was so excited. She instantly wanted to share her news with Diggle, but she knew he'd tell Oliver who'd find a way to interfere. "Can you show me how to stake a vampire?" she asked excitedly.

Buffy laughed. Felicity so often reminded her of both her sister and Willow when they were younger. "Well, I don't know if there's enough vamps in town to be worth it. But if the opportunity arises, I'll show you how it's done," she said.

The women had dinner at Reno's, a steakhouse Buffy had discovered with Quentin. They had a few drinks, but they weren't drunk. Buffy refused to drink beer due to some bad college experience, but Thea convinced her to try something fruity with a splash of gin. It'd been too long since Felicity been able to spend time with girlfriends. She really enjoyed herself.

"So, Buffy, has Laurel gotten used to you being in her dad's life?" Thea asked with a grin.

"That would be a hell no," Buffy said with a sigh. "I've tried to get her to meet me for lunch, but she claims she's too busy. I've seen her drinking and dancing too many times at Verdant, though, to be that busy."

"Yes, she's seemed a bit manic to me when I've talked to her there," Thea said. "She's not so bad, though. I've known her my whole life. I thought Oliver was going to marry her at one time. Then he went off on the Gambit with Sara, her sister."

Buffy winced. "Yeah, I've heard the story. He was kind of a dog then, huh?" Buffy said.

"A definite player. Not so much, though, since he's been back," Thea said. "He dated Helena, who turned out to be a bit psycho. She tried to kill her own father because he was this mob guy who had her fiancée killed."

"I can see being pissed about that," Buffy said.

Felicity worked hard to keep her mouth shut. She had a very definite unflattering opinion about that particular ex of Oliver's.

"Then there was Mckenna. She was a cop. But she got hurt, so she had to leave town for some rehab. They didn't try the long distance thing, so it wasn't too serious," Thea said.

"Don't forget Laurel," Felicity said.

Both girls looked surprised. Felicity cringed. The alcohol must be loosening her lips. "Oh, well, you know. He got with Laurel the night before Tommy died. Tommy broke up with her because he was convinced they were still in love. He was right. Sort of. Apparently, they were in love enough to get together," Felicity shared with a grimace.

Thea's mouth was open in surprise. Then there was a knowing look on her face. "That's why he was so guilty over Tommy's death! Tommy must've known," Thea said.

"Bummer," Buffy commented. "He really does have the worst luck."

"Yeah," Felicity agreed softly.

"So why haven't they gotten together? Oliver and Laurel?" Buffy wondered.

"Guilt," Felicity said. "They're both sick with it. Laurel hates herself. She and Tommy were technically broken up, but only like a week or so."

"I don't think Quentin knows any of this, does he?" Buffy asked.

"Don't tell him!" Felicity said anxiously. "I shouldn't have said anything! Oliver would be upset if he knew I blabbed."

Thea gave her a curious look. "My brother is extremely private. How is it you are privy to so many of his secrets?" Thea wondered.

"We're friends,' Felicity said, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"For now," Buffy said with a snicker.

When Felicity glared at her, Thea got a knowing look on her face. "Oh, I get it now! You're into my brother!"

Felicity could feel her face getting hot. She wasn't sure how to answer. Buffy, though, spoke for her.

"They shared a really hot kiss not long ago that a phone call from _you_ interrupted," Buffy shared, winking at Felicity.

"Really? When was this?" Thea asked, thinking. Then it occurred to her. "Oh, at the club? The night we were all dancing?"

"It was just the one time. Alcohol was involved. Your brother got so drunk afterward that he really didn't remember. It wasn't a big deal," Felicity said, trying to sound casual. "We're good friends. I'm okay with that."

Thea examined her in silence a few minutes. "Well, you're not his normal type, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. His normal type leads to disaster. He's not the same since the island. Maybe you're exactly what he needs," Thea finally said, grinning.

"Can we change the subject?" Felicity asked, feeling uncomfortable. Talking to Buffy was one thing. Talking to Oliver's sister about him was another.

"I'm sorry, Felicity. I wasn't trying to upset you by blabbing," Buffy said contritely.

"No, it's okay. I just don't want Thea to go saying anything to Oliver. He doesn't need to be pressured by his sister over me. If he doesn't want to be with me, then I don't want to go there. We're good friends. I'm fine with that," Felicity said.

"Starting off as friends is good," Buffy said.

"He's never really been friends with a girl. Not one he wasn't sleeping with," Thea said thoughtfully. She could see now that Felicity could be exactly what he needed. However, she didn't want to rock the boat. It was obvious Felicity was much shyer and less confident than other women her brother dated. "Slow is good. My brother is really stupid sometimes."

They laughed, and the subject was changed. Unfortunately, it wasn't changed to a subject Felicity felt any better about. They started talking about the new female vigilante. Felicity felt sick with guilt. She hated lying to her friends.

"This girl has some serious training," Buffy said. "She is wicked fast and highly skilled."

"Well, you kicked her ass anyway," Thea said. "How skilled could she be?"

"Hello? I have like twenty years fighting experience and super powers. No one really stands a chance. At least no one that's just human. Since I was the focus of Willow's slayer spell, I tend to be even stronger and more super-powered than the average slayer," Buffy shared.

"That must be so cool," Felicity said with envy.

"Don't knock your own powers, my techno-friend. Being able to do the things you do with a computer _is_ a super power," Buffy said proudly. Felicity's skills weren't anything to dismiss. Willow had taught her that. Willow had made all their lives easier with the things she could do setting up the new Slayer school and getting Faith's record expunged.

"It's nice of you to say, but I'd like to be able to kick ass sometimes," Felicity said. "Not like you do. But I don't want to be a victim." Sometimes she suspected Oliver kept her at a distance because he was afraid getting to close to him would make her a target.

"We can help you with that," Buffy said.

"And there's always pepper spray," Thea added with a wink.

Felicity laughed. Thea was surprisingly good company. She was much different from her often too serious brother, but there was a familiarity about her that kept Felicity from being as nervous as she normally was around people she didn't know well. Of course, they'd done some training together with Buffy, so Felicity had spent some time with her. This was the first time they'd been together with just the three of them, though.

An hour later, Felicity was shadowing them as they patrolled. They went to the worst part of the Glades. The place where there was the most earthquake damage.

"If there's a vamp, it'll be here. They like to prey on the weak and vulnerable," Buffy said.

Felicity's hand tightened around the stake Buffy had given her. She'd been surprised when Buffy handed it to her. However, Buffy said a back-up stake was always good. She didn't have to use it, but Buffy wanted her to have one just in case. In Buffy's experience, you could never be overprepared.

They walked around twenty minutes without witnessing much. Then Thea broke up a mugging without much effort.

"I've never been in a city where there was such crime and not enough police presence. The crime isn't related to the supernatural like it was in Sunnydale. This isn't right," Buffy said in disgust. "No wonder there's a guy going around in a hood shooting arrows in people. This place is getting out of hand."

"It didn't used to be this bad," Thea said after she'd chased off the purse snatcher.

"But like most towns, the crime is mostly in the poorer parts of town," Felicity pointed out. "Now with the devastation people are more desperate than before."

Thea blanched, feeling guilty. "I can't believe my mom was a part of this. That Tommy's dad blew up his own son," she said.

"I don't think he meant for Tommy to die," Felicity said.

"No, just all the poor in Starling City," Thea said in disgust.

"Yea, it's taking elitism to a whole new level," Buffy agreed. They walked by an alley, and she paused, sensing something. She slowly stepped to the mouth of it, peering inside. She saw a struggle going on. Motioning at the girls to follow her, she stepped into the alley.

"Looks like you may get to see some action after all, Felicity," Buffy said. Two vamps were feeding on a homeless guy. The guy was still alive but barely. They looked up when Buffy arrived. "Step away from him!"

The male vampire turned and snarled at her. "Don't worry, sweetie. You'll get your turn!"

"She _said_ put him down!" Thea ordered, stepping forward and grabbing the other vampire and yanking him away from the homeless man. Felicity crept forward to help the homeless man. She pulled out her phone to call 911.

"No, call Quentin. He's on duty now," Buffy said as she fought the first vampire.

Felicity sent Quentin a text with their location and need for medical for the poor man. She ripped her shirt to make a bandage, tying the strip around the man's neck. "It's okay. Help is on its way," she told the man. Then she looked up in time to see Buffy stake the first guy. Her eyes widened as he turned to dust. "That is so cool!" she exclaimed.

"My turn!" Thea said eagerly. She attacked the second one. The vampire got in one hit that served to piss her off. She moved closer and kicked it hard. When it got up, she was on top of it hitting it.

"Stake it already!" Buffy called out.

Thea pulled out her stake and plunged it into the vampire's heart. She turned and gave Buffy a proud smile.

"That was so cool! They really do turn to dust!" Felicity said in admiration.

"I know it's easy to get into the fighting, but that's usually when you get hurt," Buffy told Thea. "Get them staked and get gone. That's the best way."

Thea nodded. Felicity grinned. This was so amazing!

*****_The Next Day*****_

As Diggle was meeting Felicity for lunch, she was recounting her slaying experience. Diggle smiled at her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you had fun. I don't think Oliver will be happy, though," he said.

"He's not the boss of me," she said crossly. "How's he doing? I have an appointment with Walter after lunch. There's rumors of a major company called Stellmoor International working some mojo trying to take over QC while it's vulnerable."

"Oliver's going to need to step up," Diggle commented.

"He's not going to like that," Felicity said.

"Well, he may have no choice. His family needs him," Diggle said. "Have you uncovered the name of the person leading the charge?"

Felicity nodded. "The woman in charge of Stellmoor that usually does the take-overs is named Isabel Rochev," Felicity said. "I've not had time to research her yet, however."

"Well, after you speak to Walter, let me know what he says. I'll speak to Oliver," Diggle said. "Then we'll get started trying to uncover the woman and her company's secrets."

Later that afternoon, Diggle went to give Oliver an update, unaware that he was being followed.

Buffy knew it was only a matter of time before Diggle led her right to wherever Oliver was hiding. She'd found no record of a flight out of town. He could've drove, of course. However, Buffy had a suspicion she was about to confirm. Once she saw the room Diggle went in, she made herself comfortable and waited.

Inside Oliver's hotel room, he greeted Diggle with a smile. "Good to see you. I'm going nuts!" he complained. He was wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Part of his bandage on his arm was peeking out.

"How are you feeling?" Diggle asked.

"I feel fine. Two days should be enough time," Oliver said. He wasn't used to being idle and the confinement was making him nuts.

"Can you walk without limping?" Diggle inquired. When Oliver grimaced, Diggle shook his head. "You need to wait. Buffy is too smart. Felicity said that she told her yesterday that she had a suspicion who the Arrow was."

"Did she say my name?" Oliver wondered.

"No. She just assured Felicity that we didn't need to worry. She could keep a secret," Diggle said.

"Why doesn't that reassure me?" Oliver said glumly. "If Buffy knows who I am, then Thea will know. I'm not ready for her to know."

"Maybe it's time," Diggle said. "You need to be united now more than ever. There's a company set to take over your family's company. Felicity talked to Walter. He's got some plays he's going to try. But he says you may need to step in."

"Take over the family business? That's not what I want," Oliver said.

"You may not have a choice," Diggle warned. They sat in companionable silence a few minutes while Oliver contemplated how his life would change if he was forced to take over for his mother.

"There's something else," Diggle said eventually. "Buffy took Felicity with her when she and Thea went out patrolling last night."

"What?" Oliver exclaimed. "Are they insane? Felicity is in no way able to handle a fight with a vampire! Please tell me they didn't encounter any!"

"Actually, Felicity very excitedly told me there were two feeding on a homeless guy," Diggle said with a small smile.

"Is she okay?" Oliver asked worriedly.

"Of course. Buffy wouldn't let anything happen to her," Diggle assured him.

"I don't like it, John. Felicity doesn't have superpowers. What if she got hurt?" Oliver asked, upset. He didn't like Felicity being in danger with him. However, the thought of her at the mercy of supernatural demon creatures was even worse.

"She didn't," Diggle said. "You can't always protect her from everything, Oliver. Especially when you're determined to keep her at a distance." He wasn't oblivious to the new undercurrents between his partners. But he didn't want to see Felicity hurt either.

"I'm no good for her, John. You know that," Oliver said with a sigh.

"Maybe. Or maybe she's exactly what you need," John said, getting up. "I'm going to go suit up. I figure the Arrow being spotted while you're out of town is probably a good idea."

"Be careful. Keep Felicity on the comms," Oliver instructed. Diggle nodded and said goodbye.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on his hotel door again. "Did you forget something?" Oliver asked as he opened the door. He blinked in surprise. It wasn't John.

"I thought it would be you behind this door," Buffy said with a smirk. "Does your sister know you like to go around shooting arrows into her friends?"

Oliver grimaced. It seemed the Slayer was as clever as they feared.

******_To Be Continued******_

_Thanks for reading!_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Truth is Out

_******Where We Left Off******_

Buffy smirked. "Does your sister know you like to go around shooting arrows in your friends?" she asked Oliver as she stepped past him into his hotel room.

Oliver grimaced but a resigned look came over his face as he shut the door. "I don't suppose there's no point in saying that I have no idea what you're talking about?" he said.

"Nope," she replied, popping the p. She gave him a considering look. "You know I get it. I really do. I know the five years you were gone weren't all spent on that island. Or if they were, you most definitely weren't alone on it," Buffy said. When Oliver opened his mouth to automatically protest, Buffy held up her hand. "Please, let me finish. I know we don't know each other that well, and you have no reason to trust me." She paused. "Except you do. The two women you are closest two are my friends. They are close to me, and they trust me."

"I'm not my sister or Felicity," he replied coolly.

"No, you're not," she said, quietly. For once, Oliver wasn't looking at her with that phony smile he often wore. He wasn't pretending. He was watching and waiting, allowing who he really was to show through. She continued. "I know what it's like to suffer, Oliver."

For the first time since Oliver met her, she discarded her own mask. She allowed him to see the depth of pain she sometimes held too close. There was a reason she was always traveling from city to city. There was a reason she'd avoided putting down too many roots. For a long time, she held his gaze. Then she said, "I'm not the police. I'm the last person to judge you. I've had countless deaths on my hands. So many young girls dead because I didn't protect them. I didn't plan a mission well enough. I didn't foresee a danger. My arrogance and stubbornness caused many to be both hurt and killed. I've seen friends turned into soulless demons. I've lost family, friends, and lovers. I've never been on an island of suffering, but I've went through my own crucible many times over. I understand your desire to punish. I understand your desire to seek justice. I understand your desire to protect."

Oliver blinked back his surprise at the slayer's words. Her openness and willingness to be so vulnerable to him caught him off guard. In that moment, he realized that he knew her in a way that Quentin never could. The loneliness of knowing your lover could never fully know all sides of you was there in her expression. She got his hesitation with Felicity and others. To say his surprise was great was an understatement. This was the last thing he expected.

Unable to handle her eyes that saw too much and revealed too much, he turned away. He walked slowly over to the sliding doors that opened up to a balcony. Oliver wasn't often indecisive.

He was now.

Buffy gave him a few minutes to compose his thoughts. She went and helped herself to a cup of tea that was kept warm in a pot in the corner. She added some sugar and sipped. Then she sat down in a nearby chair, making herself at home.

"Did you know that the slayer line was created by some shamans who thought they knew the best way to protect their people? Not unlike Malcolm Merlyn, their egos were massive. They thought nothing of choosing a young girl as their weapon. Back then women, especially young girls, were dispensable," Buffy shared. "They chained her down and summoned a demon. They infused her with the demon. Yep, the source of my power—your sister's power—is a demon. Ironic isn't it?"

"Just slightly," he said with a dry smile. He had turned toward her as she began speaking.

"A slayer's nature is much different than ordinary humans. We have a predatory nature. We seek the darkness. Sometimes we get too close to it. Sometimes we get drunk on the power," she said. "But taking human life is never okay with us. We have a clear mandate. We kill monsters. We kill the things that go bump in the night."

"Humans can be monsters," Oliver said.

Buffy nodded. "Yes, I know. It's hard to sit back and watch people get hurt. I've never been in position like I am here to be so distracted by the real human problems," she admitted. "Normally, there's enough supernatural stuff going on to keep me busy. However, policing humans is not our job. It never has been. It never will be."

"Sometimes you have to make it your job. Sometimes saving a life is the only thing that silences the voices," Oliver admitted, his voice raw, his eyes tormented.

Buffy nodded again. "Yes, I can see that. I even get why you thought it was okay to come back home and begin killing people who you saw as poison to your city," she said. "When my first love Angel came back from a hell dimension, he was like a wild animal. It took him a while to get his bearings. But you did."

"Yes," he said. He wasn't sure if he would've done so as quickly without Dig or Felicity, however.

"This girl running around murdering rapists isn't you," she said. A look in Oliver's eyes gave him away. "You know her?"

Oliver remained silent. Buffy took his silence as an affirmation. "She can't be allowed to do that, Oliver. Surely, you agree?"

"Yes," he said. "I will stop her. Leave her to me."

"Fine. But don't make the mistake of assuming she is you or that she will eventually come around to your way of thinking. Not everyone can be brought back from the dark," Buffy said. She drunk the rest of her tea in one gulp as she got to her feet.

"What happens now?" Oliver asked.

"I'm going to go home," Buffy said.

"Are you going to tell Thea?" Oliver asked.

"No. You are," Buffy said firmly. When Oliver grimaced and looked like he was about to argue, she frowned at him. "I don't lie to my slayers. You shouldn't be lying to your sister. Not now. Not after knowing what she is. The only reason you continue to do is to protect yourself, not her."

Oliver started to argue and then realized the woman was right. He didn't want Thea to hate him. He was afraid of her rejecting him. Deep down, he knew that Thea was now more than capable of protecting herself. "Fine," he grudgingly conceded.

Buffy gave him a bright smile. "So now that I know the truth, you can go home. I'll give you a few days before I rat you out to your sister," Buffy said. "It'll be better coming from you."

Oliver watched her leave. Then he got out his phone and called Dig.

"The truth is out," he said. Time to make some plans.

_*****The Next Day*****_

Felicity and Diggle were with Oliver at the foundry. He shared with them his conversation with Buffy. Diggle had already heard most of it the day before. However, he hadn't called Felicity. He already knew what she'd say. Oliver needed some time to think about what all Buffy had said.

"So Buffy indicated that your secret was safe with her," Diggle clarified. "Should we be making contingency plans?"

Felicity opened her mouth in protest. "Of course not! We can trust Buffy! She told both me and you that she wouldn't blab. Detective Lance doesn't want to know, so we're good. We know her big secret, so it's not like we don't have any leverage."

"Her secret is so unbelievable that it wouldn't matter who we told," Diggle reminded her.

"Not to mention, Lance already knows about the supernatural," Oliver said. "She did say if I didn't tell my sister, she would."

Felicity knew he wasn't happy about that. She reached out and laid her hand on his arm, giving it a squeeze. "Hey, she'll be okay with it," Felicity said.

"What if she hates me like Tommy did?" Oliver asked, his eyes tormented.

"She won't. She can't. Not to mention, Tommy didn't," Felicity said. "He was just surprised. You went through something he wasn't a part of. It changed you. He was coming around. You know that."

"Maybe," Oliver said, unsure.

"She's right, Oliver. Tommy's dad was the real monster," Diggle said. "Tommy never would've held on to his anger or condemnation in the light of his father's actions."

"I'm almost glad that Tommy doesn't have to face what our parents did," Oliver said sadly.

"You mean what his dad did," Felicity corrected. "Your mom was complicit. She wasn't the mastermind. Nor did she really want anyone to die."

"The trial will be starting soon. I wish you were on the jury," Oliver said, smiling slightly at her.

"Well, there has to be a few unbiased people in Starling City," Felicity said.

"So are you going to tell Thea?" Diggle asked.

"She hasn't really given me much choice, has she?" Oliver said sourly.

Diggle gave Felicity a silent look. She nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to take off. Keep me posted," Diggle said. He clapped Oliver on the shoulder before smiling at Felicity.

Felicity waited a minute before speaking. "Oliver, no matter what happens, Thea is your sister. No truth can change that," she said.

"Yeah, I guess she's kind of stuck with me," Oliver said with a smirk. Then his eyes clouded again. "You know Thea is going to even more gung-ho than Buffy about capturing Sara. If she found out Sara was alive, I'm not sure she would deal well with that."

"You sister is much stronger than you give her credit for," Felicity told him. "When you find out Sara's story, it might make things easier for her and everyone to understand."

"I'll get it," Oliver said. "One thing at a time. One problem at a time."

"We need to tell Quentin his daughter is alive," Felicity said.

"We can't do that. It's not our secret to tell," Oliver said firmly.

"You can't keep him and Laurel in the dark, Oliver! Laurel is getting more and more out there lately," Felicity said. "Buffy has seen her more than a few times a week lately partying hard upstairs. She's not doing well, Oliver. She could use some good news."

"How happy will she be knowing that her sister that ran off with me has been alive all this time while letting her family think she's dead?" Oliver pointed out.

Felicity winced. That was a good point. "Well, she may be upset at first. Just like Thea might. But love of family is stronger than disappointment. My dad ran out on me and my mom when I was a kid. It devastated me," she shared, surprising Oliver. "If he appeared again in my life, I'd be happy first. Anger and questions would come. But I'd be glad and relieved to know he was alive. Laurel will, too."

Oliver reached out and took her hand in his. "You don't talk about your family much. I'm glad you told me that," he said.

She gave a small smile. "Yeah, well, you're not the only one with a painful past. I've moved on and made a good life for myself," she said. "I don't like to dwell on the past."

Oliver let go of her hand, running a hand over his face. "I wish I could do that," he admitted.

"You will. It will get easier, Oliver," she assured him. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You are your own worst critic."

Oliver smiled at her. "What would I do without you?" he wondered.

She stepped forward and hugged him. "You'll never have to find out," she promised.

Oliver hugged her, hoping very much that was true.

*****_The Next Night*****_

Oliver decided to get things over with. It was the middle of the week, and the club wasn't overly busy. Buffy was working as a bouncer. Oliver had chosen to pick his battles and had not protested when his sister ignored her firing. He nodded at Buffy as he walked determinedly toward his sister who was talking to the bartender.

"Speedy, do you have a minute?" he asked her, trying to disguise his nervousness.

"Sure, Ollie. What's up?" Thea asked, smiling. "When did you get back in town?"

"Oh, uh, this morning," he said, distractedly. At least when he came clean, he wouldn't have the constant need for pretense. "I need you to come with me. I want to show you something."

"Okay," Thea said, puzzled. Her brother took her hand and led her to the side door with the weird keypad lock she didn't have a password to. She watched as Oliver punched in the code. "How is it you know that?"

"Follow me, and I'll explain," he said. Oliver decided it would be best to show her what they were doing right under her nose. He knew she'd be pissed. He just hoped she'd eventually come around. Carefully, he led her down the stairs, turning on the lights.

Thea frowned at him. "What the hell is going on, Oliver?" she asked.

"Just look," he ordered, gesturing for her to step forward.

She did so. Her eyes widened as she took in the high-tech set-up and the glass display with the green Arrow suit proudly showcased. Her mouth fell open slightly as she took it all in. Realization warred with disbelief as she gave Oliver a questioning glance.

"Yes, Thea. I am the Arrow," Oliver stated as he braced himself for her reaction.

*****_To Be Continued******_

_I know it's not long, but it's an update! It didn't make sense for the secrets to continue. There's so much more I can write about! I love to read your reviews! Thanks!_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Truth Can Hurt

*****_Where We Left Off*****_

Thea blinked, trying to wrap her mind around Oliver's confession. Things began popping into her mind. Her brother hadn't been the same since his return, but this had never ever crossed her mind. However, now that the truth was out, she could begin to make sense of it. She recalled excuses that didn't make sense. Injuries that were mostly unbelievable. She knew the island had changed him for all time. However, she had never suspected this.

"Oh my God!" was the first thing that came out of her mouth as she looked at him and then at the Arrow costume on display.

"I didn't want to bring you into my world because it's deadly and dangerous," Oliver explained. "I was trying to protect you. But Buffy figured it out, and she reminded me that you weren't who you were either. I owed you the truth. I don't want to lie anymore."

Thea took a moment to take it in. Her mom was part of a mass murdering ring. Now she finds out that the brother whom she adores is also a murderer. Feeling sick, she bent over clutching her stomach. How can she fight monsters or battle evil when her blood was tinged with it, when her family was surrounded by it?

Oliver reached out and put a hand on her back. "I'm sorry, Thea," he said regretfully.

Thea rose up, her eyes blazing. Then she swung back and hit him hard in the jaw.

"You lying bag of shit!" Thea yelled. "Lies. Lies. Lies. First Mom and now you! No one I love is who they say they are!"

Oliver rubbed his aching jaw with a wince. That hit was harder than Diggle's. For the first time, it hit home that she wasn't the little sister who needed his protection. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. "Thea, you don't understand," he began.

She cut him up. "I understand that you are a f***ing liar!" she said coldly. "I understand that the brother I adored, respected, and looked up to died on that island."

Nothing she could've said could've hurt Oliver more. He stepped back, dropping his hands to his side. His face became shuttered.

Thea barely noticed. She was too upset. How did she not know? How did she not realize? Detective Lance had once suspected. The Arrow had saved her, had saved Laurel, and even Merlyn, Tommy's dad, once. She gave the room a final scan, shaking her head in disbelief. Then she threw her brother a disappointed, hurt glare and walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said softly to her retreating back. He had thought he'd be prepared for her reaction—for exactly that reaction. However, the pain of it was excruciating, leaving him immobilized. His mind kept replaying the scene, her words, her look of disgust and disappointment over and over.

A short time later, Felicity found him still standing there, but he'd moved to stare morosely up at his encased Arrow outfit.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked cheerfully as she put her bag down and turn on her babies. When she didn't get a response, she turned toward him. "Oliver?" Frowning, she walked toward him. "Are you okay?"

"She knows," Oliver said simply. He finally turned to her, letting his guard down with one of two people he ever did.

"Who is she and what does she know?" Felicity asked with a confused frown, her concern growing at his lost expression.

"Thea. Thea knows," Oliver shared.

"Knows what?" Felicity asked, still confused.

"That I'm a murderer," he said with self-loathing.

"What?" Felicity exclaimed, moving closer until she could reach out and touch him. She put her hand on his arm. "Why would you say that? Don't you ever say that!"

"Why not? It's true," he said almost coldly, not meeting her eyes. "I'm a murderer and now my sister knows the truth."

"Oh, Oliver," Felicity said in near whisper, her heart filled with compassion and sympathy for the man in front of her. She loved him so much, and it broke her heart to see him so broken. Her first instinct was to wrap him in his arms and hold him close. However, she knew him well enough to know that she had to tread carefully to get through to him.

He finally looked at her. "You should've seen her face, Felicity. She was so disappointed in me, so disgusted," he said. "It was my greatest fear come true. All my pretense was for nothing. All the effort I spent into keeping my family from knowing what I really was, who I had become seems foolish now. She knows what a monster I've become. She knows, and she is horrified."

Felicity put her hand on her hip. "What you've become? I'll tell you what you've become! You've become a man who will risk anything, do anything, give anything to save both a stranger and people he loves!" she said passionately. "You've become a man I greatly admire and respect. Don't you dare call yourself a murderer or monster! You've given too much to this city. You've saved too many lives. You're a hero!"

Wordlessly, Oliver stared at her, wanting to believe she was right but not ready to accept her words. Yet a part of him was both grateful for her loyalty and faith in him. However, he didn't understand why she believed so much in him. She had to all but drag him back to the city. She had convinced him that he still needed to fight. It seemed nothing would shake her faith in him. He grimaced. In the end, he'd destroy her faith as he destroyed her. He'd destroyed Shado, Sara, and Laurel. It seemed inevitable that he'd do the same to her.

Reaching out, he put his hand to her cheek. "I'm never going to be the man you see. I'm never going to be the man you deserve. I'm sorry, Felicity," he said. Before she could try and convince him otherwise, he turned and walked out of the room.

Felicity was disappointed for a moment. However, the more she thought about it, the more her anger grew. Finally, she grabbed her purse.

"Someone needs to give the reigning Queen a dose of reality," she grumbled as she marched upstairs, determined to give Thea a large piece of her mind.

When she didn't find her upstairs in her office, Felicity's irritation grew. Oliver's words rang in her head, though, so she wasn't about to stop. Instead, she got into her car and drove the miles to the Queen mansion. It didn't occur to her to talk to Buffy, who'd still been at the club.

Once she got past the gate, she easily made it inside. Predictably, she found Thea in the gym beating on something. "They are so much alike," Felicity remarked in bemusement.

Thea took note of her presence, but she said nothing. Felicity sat her bag down on the small refrigerator that held water bottles. Then she marched toward Thea.

"I'm not in the mood for company," Thea said, finally glancing at her.

"I don't care what kind of mood you're in," Felicity snarled as she stalked toward. "How dare you! How _dare _you condemn your brother! You have no idea who he is or what he's gone through!"

"And whose fault is that?" Thea asked angrily. "He's done nothing but lie to me since he got back!"

"It's the only way he could survive!" Felicity yelled. "Don't you get it? He was and probably still is suffering for some degree of PTSD. You have no idea what motivated him to target the city's criminals. You don't know because you didn't bother to ask. You just spew your condemnation on him. Like you've done one fraction of the good in your short life that he has done the past year!"

"I'm a slayer now. I have a calling. Now I find out my brother is going around shooting arrows into people," Thea said defensively. "How am I supposed to deal with that?"

"Like the rest of us. You deal with it the best you can. You deal with by talking to your brother and listening. You don't do it by making him believe he's no better than one of the vampires you slay!" Felicity exclaimed, seething with anger the more she spoke.

Thea looked guilty for a moment. "He's not a soulless demon," she finally conceded.

"Oh, gee, that's great," Felicity said sarcastically. "I'm sure he'll feel loads better knowing the only family he really has thinks he's one step above a soulless demon."

"That's not what I mean!" Thea said with a glare.

"I don't know what you meant and neither does your brother," Felicity said coldly. "Your brother has adored you your entire life. You know I'd kill to have a brother. Any brother. Any family really that would always be there for me no matter what. To have a brother that'd die for you is a gift. It's one you should be grateful for. It's not something you spit at or curl your nose in disgust at. No matter what he's done. He's still your brother!"

Thea finally looked a bit ashamed. "He caught me off guard," she said.

"Yeah, well, that's what he does. He sneaks up on people with his ninja moves and stuff," Felicity said knowingly.

"So you've known this whole time who he was and what he does," Thea remarked as she realized that.

Felicity shut her mouth, knowing all of her secrets were about to be revealed along with Oliver's. "Not the whole time. Not until your mom shot him, and he took refuge in the backseat of my car," she shared.

That stopped Thea a moment. Then she shook her head in bemusement. "Is my family jacked up her what?" she asked.

"No one's family is perfect," Felicity said. "Oliver is really destroyed by your reaction to him, however. You've got to fix this. He's barely recovering from Tommy's death, from his fight with Merlyn. Now you've confirmed his every fear. Is it any wonder he didn't share his truth with you?"

Thea shook her head as she realized yet another truth. Oliver killed Tommy's dad, a man she'd known her life. A man she'd been fond of. A man who'd hidden his own dark persona. "I guess I don't really know anything anymore," Thea said warily. She walked over to the cooler and grabbed a bottle of water. She tossed one to Felicity, who was quite pleased she'd managed to catch it.

"You know your brother loves you. He loves you more than anything. He didn't deserve what you did to him," Felicity said, remembering the look on Oliver's face.

"I'll talk to him," Thea promised.

"Good," Felicity said, hoping that it would make a difference. How much damage would Thea's reactionary words do? Concern for Oliver had her pulling out her phone as she walked down the long hall toward the exit. When it went straight to voicemail, she hung up, not bothering to leave a message.

As she pulled out of the Queen's driveway, she couldn't help but worry about what Oliver was doing. Felicity just hoped he didn't hurt himself while he was exercising yet another ghost.

*****_Hours Later*****_

Oliver knocked back another vodka. He'd been attempting for the past few hours to erase the memory of his sister's expression when she'd realized who he really was. With a single-minded determination, he'd drunk steadily, ignoring many a would-be suitor. Finally, though, a dark haired beauty approached and spoke to him in Russian.

"Привет, красавчик. Купить мне выпить?" she said, giving him a flirtatious smile.

The oddity of hearing fluent Russian in an American bar at least warranted his attention, so he looked at her closely. She was stunning. "I already have one. Thanks," he said, holding up his drink.

She gave him a delighted smile, sitting down on the stool next to him. "You understood me!" she said. "I've been throwing Russian phrases around the past two nights since I got to this city. You're the first I've met that got the gist."

Her words earned a ghost of a smile. "Я говорю по-русски," he said.

"So you do," she said, pleased. "You speak Russian. How is that?"

"It's a long story. I won't bore you with the details," he remarked, finishing off his drink.

"Two more," she told the bartender, who turned to do her bidding. Then she glanced at him with interest. "I doubt seriously that anything you say or do would earn the word boring."

The bartender sat two shot glasses down in front of her. She pushed one to Oliver. "First rounds on me," she said.

Oliver hesitated a moment. Then he accepted the drink.

_*****Chapter End*****_

_Sorry it's not very long. It's all I could manage at this time. I hope you don't hate on Oliver too much. I'm trying to keep him in character as much as possible. Your reviews are much appreciated. Thanks for reading._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Mistake

_******The Next Morning******_

A movement caused Oliver to wake instantly. He moved his head slightly and saw the naked, attractive backside of a woman getting out of his bed. He blinked, trying to remember her. Pieces of memory began to surface. She was Russian or spoke it. They'd shared an appreciation for vodka.

"Good morning," she said, smiling at him. She wasn't shy as she dropped the sheet, baring her perfect body for him while she began to dress. She moved over to his side of the bed. "Can you zip me up?"

"Sure," he said as he sat up in bed and pulled up the zipper. She thanked him and walked into the nearby bathroom.

Oliver was pulling on his boxers when there was a knock on his door. The woman whose name he couldn't exactly remember was coming out of the bathroom as he walked to the door. "I have a standing breakfast order. It's probably them. Will you stay for breakfast?" he asked, figuring it was the least he could do since he apparently never even asked for her name.

He opened the door. It wasn't room service. Oliver felt more than a little queasy as he realized his thoughtlessness was once again going to hurt the woman whose only fault was loving him more than he deserved.

"I was worried. Are you okay?" Felicity asked, her eyes scanning over his undressed form. She blushed and looked back up to his face. "I know Thea was awful. I talked to her. Well, it's more like I yelled at her. I can't believe she would be so mean!"

Oliver tried to cut her off. "Felicity," he began. He threw a worried glance over his shoulder. Felicity didn't notice.

"How are you?" she asked, smiling up at him.

The door was pulled open wider, and she saw a stunning woman in the doorway. She blinked, not understanding at first what she was seeing.

The woman smiled knowingly at Oliver. "Oliver is doing just fine," she said as she ran her hand appreciatively down his bare chest.

"Felicity, uh, this is, uh..." he broke off as he searched for her name.

Felicity couldn't believe this was happening. "You don't even know her name? Seriously?" she asked more than a bit outraged. The outrage was masking the pain she knew would soon follow.

The woman didn't seem at all bothered by that detail. "Names weren't necessary," she said with a careless shrug and coy smile. She turned to Oliver and kissed him.

Felicity watched hollowly as Oliver didn't exactly push her away. Why was she still standing there? She didn't know, but for some reason she wasn't able to pull her eyes away from the image of Oliver with yet another woman that wasn't her.

"I'll see you around," the woman said, flashing Oliver a mischievous smile and brushing past Felicity.

Felicity gave Oliver a hurt look before turning around. Oliver reached out and grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Felicity, wait!"

She stopped but didn't turn toward him. What could he possibly say to make this better? Calling herself the biggest kind of fool, she still waited for him to try.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was at a bar drinking alone when she approached me. She knew Russian. We were drinking vodka. The details are blurry."

Felicity let out a bitter laugh and turned to face him, pulling her hand out of his. "Vodka's your excuse yet again?" she asked in disbelief. "Whatever, Oliver." She turned back and took a step away from him.

"Don't hate me!" he begged.

Felicity fought the tears that threatened to fall and took a deep breath. She turned once again to look at him. "I could never hate you, Oliver," she said quietly. "I wish you didn't hate yourself so much, though. You seemed determined to destroy us before we even begin."

"No!" he protested. He bit his lip, his mind trying to find the words. "I just can't seem to…I…" he paused. What was the point? Nothing he could say was going to make this okay. He let out a breath. "I told you I wasn't good for you."

He hated himself a bit more when she noticeably flinched as if he'd slapped her. He felt something break between them as she slowly nodded, her eyes never leaving his.

"I guess you were right," she said warily. He didn't try to stop her this time as she walked down the hall.

Felicity kept it together until she made it inside the elevator. Then sobs escaped. Before she knew it, the elevator was at the bottom. She tried to compose herself when the doors began to open. A woman stood on the other side. Familiar green eyes connected to Felicity's.

The woman gasped. "Felicity! What happened?" Buffy asked, stepping into the elevator. She had come to speak with Oliver about his sister.

Felicity groaned. Buffy was not who she wanted to see right now. She stepped past her as someone else tried to get into the elevator. Buffy walked after her.

"I went to check on Oliver," she admitted.

"Is something wrong? He's okay, right?" Buffy asked in concern. She had came by to see if he had talked to his sister before she saw Thea. If not, she felt obligated to tell her.

"Oh, he's just fine," Felicity said bitterly.

The tone caused Buffy's eyebrow to raise. She'd never heard that particular tone from Felicity before. "What happened?" she asked gently.

"He's so predictable sometimes, you know?" Felicity replied. "Here stupid, naïve me was all worried about him after what Thea did to him."

"What did Thea do to him?" Buffy asked confused.

"She didn't take the news of his hobby well. She ripped Oliver open. He was pretty devastated," Felicity said. "So he decided to comfort himself with a few drinks and wild monkey sex with some nameless model."

"She was a model?"

"I don't know! So not the point! She looked like one. They _all_ look like one! He didn't even know her damn name!" Felicity said hotly, the tears drying up in face of her renewed anger.

Buffy felt a slow burn grown inside of her. Felicity was warm and kind-hearted. She saw the best in everyone. She saw the best in Oliver Queen. Yet the man kept kicking her where it hurt the most. Buffy clenched her fist in anger. "He had a one-night stand coming out of his room when you went to see him?" she clarified.

Felicity nodded, pushing up her glasses. "He's not mine, so I guess I don't have a reason to be mad," she said tiredly.

"Of course you do!" Buffy said hotly. "You told him you loved him, and he didn't exactly push you away."

"He didn't exactly pull me close either," Felicity pointed out. "Face it. I'm not really his type."

"You're every man's type!" Buffy said firmly. "You're beautiful, well-dressed, brilliant, loyal, and kind. And Oliver Queen is a jackass who needs his ass royally kicked!" She turned jumped into the open elevator before Felicity could reply.

Felicity tried to follow her, but the door closed before she could. Groaning, she pushed the elevator button impatiently. "Great! This is just what I need!" she complained.

When the elevator doors opened to the penthouse, Buffy marched determinedly toward Oliver the douchebag's door.

Oliver heard the knock with relief. Felicity was coming back to talk further. Eagerly, he stepped forward to open the door. It wasn't Felicity.

Buffy gave him an angry glare. "You hurt Felicity. I'm going to hurt you," she announced, kicking the door shut. Then she threw on the latch, knowing Felicity would seek to interfere.

"I didn't plan to hurt her," he said woodenly.

"Yeah, I bet you didn't plan on hurting Laurel either or leading Sara Lance to her death," Buffy said snidely. "But your bad choices seem to have the same pattern. I warned you about Felicity."

She marched forward and swung her fist. Oliver instinctively ducked.

"I don't want to fight you," he said.

"I don't care what you want," Buffy said angrily. "You think it's okay to come back to town and kill scum bags. You think it's okay to drag someone like Felicity in it. That it's okay to stomp all over her heart!" She swung again, and this time her fist connected with his jaw.

Oliver stood there and let her hit him. He decided that she was right. He deserved a beating. All he did was hurt the people who loved him. Laurel, Tommy, Sara, Thea, and now Felicity—the one good thing he'd found since his return.

It took Buffy a few minutes to realize that Oliver wasn't fighting back. Blood dripped from his lip, but he didn't try to stop its flow. Disgusted, Buffy stopped. The banging on the hotel door registered. She could hear Felicity demanding she open the door and to stop fighting with Oliver.

Buffy took a step back, examining him. The bleakness in his gaze struck her. She'd seen that look before. Oliver Queen was so very lost. Compassion for him filled her, pushing away her anger.

Shaking her head, she regarded him silently a moment. "Oliver, you can't give up on yourself so easily," Buffy said. "People love you for a reason."

She turned and unlocked the door, letting Felicity in.

"Oliver?" Felicity asked, her eyes going to his. Concern had her stepping through the door and going to him. She grabbed a tissue from box that was sitting on the table and pressed it to his lip.

"I'm okay," Oliver said, taking it from her and stepping back.

"See?" Buffy said to him. "She still seeks to mend you. Instead of wallowing in pity and self-loathing maybe you should work on being the kind of man she deserves."

Buffy turned to leave. Felicity gave Oliver a regretful half smile. She reached out and squeezed his hand once before turning to follow Buffy out of the room.

Oliver wanted to say something but shame kept him silent as he watched her leave. He thought of what Buffy had said. Could he ever deserve Felicity Smoak?

_******The Next Day******_

Thea had heard her brother return early in the morning. She knew that she had to speak to him. She owed him an apology. Felicity's words had kept her from sleeping much the past two nights. Oliver hadn't answered any of the calls or texts she'd sent him the day before. Thea didn't know what she was going to say. She just knew that Oliver was the only family she had now that her mom was in jail and may never get out.

She knocked on his bedroom door.

"Come in," he said.

Thea walked into his room, spotting him standing and looking out the window. She approached slowly.

"Ollie, I'm sorry," she said. When he turned toward her, she blanched. "What happened to you?"

"I had a disagreement with a friend," he said, unable to call Buffy anything but that. She and he were too much alike to ever get along easily. However, she understood suffering. She understood burdens. She sought to protect the two women who meant the world to him. Buffy had earned the title.

"What did you do to upset Diggle?" Thea asked, assuming he was the friend.

"John isn't the only friend I have," Oliver said with a small smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern, noticing the wariness and sadness in his eyes.

"I'm fine," he said. "How are you?"

The stiff formality wasn't them, and Thea wished that she hadn't done this to them. She moved closer until she was standing out in front of him.

"I feel really badly about what I said to you the other day. I'm sorry," Thea said sincerely.

Oliver nodded. "It's okay. I deserved it. It was a lot to take in," he said easily. He walked over to his bed and sat down.

Thea followed him, sitting next to him. "Yeah, but you didn't deserve my attack. I'm a brat," she said ruefully.

Oliver put his arm around her shoulders. "Yes, you are, but I still love you," he said.

Thea sighed and put her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence a few minutes. "I can't believe what our lives have become," Thea said.

"We'll muddle along," Oliver said, squeezing her shoulder.

Thea turned to face him, pulling her leg up slightly onto the bed. "I don't think you're a monster, Ollie. I really don't. It was just a lot to take in," Thea said, hoping to convince him.

"I know," Oliver said.

"But I'm ready to listen now," Thea said. "Please tell me the truth. What happened on that island?"

Oliver took a deep breath and began to talk.

*****_Later That Night*****_

Buffy had solved the mystery of the Hood. Now she was setting her sights on the blonde woman in black leather.

She had Roy with her on this venture because Thea had an event at the club she couldn't miss. Her plan had Roy balking.

"No way in hell!" Roy protested. "Your boyfriend is a cop!"

"So? He's got nothing to do with this. It's not like you're really going to hurt me," Buffy said reasonably.

"It don't matter! I'm not going to pretend to rape any woman, especially not the significant other of one of Starling's finest," Roy said passionately.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Roy's dramatics. "Come on! You're not really going to do anything. We'll just scuffle some, and I yell helplessly," Buffy assured him.

Roy didn't like it, but he finally reluctantly agreed.

Buffy wanted to draw the woman out and figured this would be the best way. They were in a dark alley the woman had been known to tread.

Roy chased after Buffy, feeling ridiculous. She yelled loudly for help as he cornered her. He reached for her and pulled her close while she struggled. Roy was careful not to hurt her. However, he couldn't say the same for her as she fought like a wildcat—like a girl and not at all like a slayer. Eventually, their mock battle was interrupted as she planned.

"Let her go!" a woman's voice called out.

Roy exchanged a glance with Buffy and waited a beat. When Buffy gave him a nod, he let her go. They both turned to face the woman.

Sara recognized both people and realized she'd been set up. Annoyance filled her. "Trying to find me?" she asked coldly.

"Yes," Buffy said as she dropped all pretense of being a victim and faced the woman. "I figured out who the Hood is. Now it's your turn."

Roy looked at her in surprise. "Wait! You know who the Hood is?" Roy asked.

Sara looked grim as she realized Sin had been right about her father's girlfriend. The woman was more than a threat. "My identity is my business," she said. Then she turned to leave.

Buffy moved quickly to intercept the woman, grabbing her arm and pulling her back around. "You're not going anywhere. I'm tired of the cloak and dagger bullshit. I don't have the patience for it," Buffy said.

Sara resigned herself to a fight. She lashed out with her staff, catching Buffy off guard. Knowing from previous experience how strong Buffy was, she didn't pause. She swung it again, knocking Buffy back. Roy jumped in, and she had him on his back in less than a minute. Buffy popped back up.

"You want to dance then fine. I'm your gal," Buffy said as charged forward.

Roy watched a bit in awe as the two women went all out, exchanging swift blows. Finally, Buffy broke the masked woman's staff. Then they went at it hand to hand. Their blows were swift and brutal. Roy flinched more than once. However, the two women seemed unwilling to back down.

Then Buffy managed to pull her in close and get her arms around the woman's neck. Buffy squeezed, cutting off her air flow. Eventually, the woman ceased her struggles. Buffy wasn't trying to kill her, but she managed to render her unconscious.

Slowly, she eased her down to the ground.

"My God! That was incredible!" Roy said in admiration. "I think the woman is definitely more skilled than Thea. I didn't realize you could fight like that."

Buffy frowned. "Of course, I can. I've been doing it for twenty years. You know that!" she reminded him.

"Yeah, but still. I've never seen you let loose like that!" Roy exclaimed, shaking his head.

"You've never seen me fight a vampire," she said, bending down. "Now we can see exactly who is hiding behind the wig and mask." She lifted up the mask, and pushed off the wig.

"She's very pretty," Roy observed.

"Yes," Buffy agreed as she examined the woman closely. "There's something familiar about her."

"What are you going to do with her?" Roy asked.

"I'm going to let Quentin deal with her," Buffy said, pulling out her phone and sending him a text. "He's on duty tonight."

"How long will she be out?" Roy wondered as he looked down at her.

"I'm not sure. I'm not used to fighting humans," Buffy said.

"We should tie her up," Roy said.

"With what? I didn't bring any rope. Did you?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

Roy rolled his eyes. "You should've planned this better!" he accused.

"Me? I did all the work. Couldn't you have contributed something?" Buffy pointed out with a laugh.

"We better keep an eye on her," Roy said, watching the woman.

She began to stir and opened her eyes. Awareness hit her fast, and she got to her feet

Buffy gasped as she recognized the woman from photos, her eyes too distinctive. "It can't be!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"Buffy?" a voice called out from the end of the alley.

It was Quentin. "We're here!" she called out. She looked warningly at the woman. "You are not going to run from him again!"

He came toward them. The woman looked around wildly for a way out, but her exits were blocked.

Quentin's eyes went first to Buffy to make sure she was okay. Then he saw the woman, and he blinked. He stepped closer. His eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Sara? My God! Sara? Is that really you?" he asked, desperation and hope in his tone.

Sara took a deep breath and faced her father. "Yes, Daddy. It's me," she replied.

*****_*To Be Continued******_

_The identity of the woman Oliver slept with eventually be revealed. Sorry, it didn't quite come out in this one._


	21. Chapter 21

**I honestly couldn't figure out without watching all the episodes which episode it was where Sara reunites with Quentin for the first time, so forgive me if the scene is different.**

Chapter 21: The Lazarus Effect

_******Where We Left off******_

Quentin blinked, unable to believe his eyes. He took a step forward, a rushing sound in his ears. It couldn't be!

"Sara? My God, Sara! Is that really you?" he asked. How could it be? What was going on?

"Yes, Daddy. It's me," she said, trying to smile.

Quentin moved closer, his eyes scanning over her. He reached out and cupped her cheek. Her eyes filled with tears. So did his. "Baby. You're alive!" he exclaimed, pulling her tight against him. He closed his eyes savoring the feel of his baby girl in his arms once again. He pulled her back to look at her. Then his eyes connected with Buffy, who gave him an encouraging smile.

Roy looked on in confusion but kept silent.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Sara said, her eyes a wealth of sorrow.

Something clicked in Quentin. "You're the female vigilante that's been going around killing rapists?" he asked. She gave him a pained look but nodded. "Ah, baby, what's happened?"

"A lot," she said.

"I thought you were dead. Oliver said you died. That you drowned," he said, confused.

"I did die," she said. She pulled away and took a step back. "The daughter you knew is dead."

When she turned to run off once again, Buffy blocked her path. "You can't run off again. He deserves more than that from you," Buffy told her. She didn't know what had happened to Quentin's daughter to turn her into a vigilante, but if she'd been with Oliver on that island, Buffy could guess. However, she wasn't going to let the man she loved be hurt any more than he already had been.

Quentin reached out and grabbed Sara's hand. "Honey, talk to me. What's been going on? How are you here?" he asked.

Buffy caught Sara looking from her to Roy with suspicion. "Why don't you two go some place you can talk? Roy and I will get back to the club," Buffy suggested. She couldn't resist adding a word of warning to Sara. "If you disappear without his blessing, I will find you. There's no place on earth that you can hide that my friend Willow can't find."

Roy and followed Buffy, asking, "Who's Willow?"

Sara and Quentin looked at one another wordlessly. Then Quentin broke out into a huge grin. "I just can't believe this! It's like a dream I had so many times. A dream that I gave up," he said. "But your mom never did. It's like she's been waiting for you to walk through the door. She's going to be so happy when we call and tell her the good news!"

A look of panic came over Sara. "No! You can't, Dad!" she exclaimed.

Quentin frowned. "I don't understand," he asked.

She sighed. "Dad, it's not safe," she said.

Upset, he grabbed her hand again. "Well, you're not leaving until you tell me something more, something real," he told her. He led her to a nearby coffee house that was nearly empty. When the server approached, he ordered them two cups of coffee. He gave her an expectant look.

"I don't know where to start," she said, looking lost. She'd been trying to prepare herself for this day, but she could never imagine how it would go down. The look of horror she expected on her father's face had never came.

"Were you on the island with Oliver? Was he lying?" Quentin asked. "He said that he saw you die."

"He did. Or rather he thought I was dead," she said. "I was picked up drifting on a piece of the yacht. I spent a year trying to survive this mad scientist. Then I got away only to be caught by another group that both saved me and destroyed me."

"Are they the ones that taught you to fight?" he asked, curious.

She nodded. "The League of Assassins," she admitted.

Quentin grimaced. "That was your only choice? Get in bed with assassins?" he couldn't help but ask.

She stood up, expecting his judgment. "Why do you think I've stayed away? I knew you'd hate what I've become!" she said, prepared to leave.

Quentin jumped up and reached for her, an apology in his eyes. "Sweetie, don't go! I'm sorry. It's just a lot to take in," he said. "But there's nothing you could ever do to make me hate any part of you. Don't you know that?"

The server approached with the coffee. She looked at them in confusion since they were on their feet.

"Please, don't go," Quentin begged.

Sara grudgingly sat back down. "So how did you get busted down to a beat cop?" Sara asked, choosing a topic that wasn't her.

Quentin looked sheepish. "Well, I help the Arrow disarm one of the bombs without authorization," he said.

"You saved countless lives and instead of giving you a medal, they demoted you?" she asked in outrage.

He shrugged. "Regulation. I disobeyed a direct order by a commanding officer. This is my punishment," he said with a sigh. "It's not so bad. It's how I met Buffy."

At the mention of his girlfriend, Sara's eyes narrowed. "That woman is dangerous, Dad. You can't possibly trust her," she said.

He smiled. "But I do. With my life," he said firmly. "She's the most amazing woman I've ever met. You know I'd still be with your mom if I hadn't screwed things up. But she's moved on. She has a new life. She's never going to come back to me. I've accepted that. Buffy isn't as young as she looks. For some reason, she loves me." He said it like he was still mystified by that fact.

Sara couldn't help but smile at the look of happiness in her father's eyes. "I'm glad for you," Sara said. "But she's unnaturally strong. I think she's on some kind of drug of some kind."

He shook his head. "No. She's supernatural. Some day when you tell me what you've been up to, I'll tell you her story. If she says it's okay," he qualified.

"Be careful," she advised.

"Listen, sweetie. If Buffy left me tomorrow, I'd have no regrets," he shared. "She's like liquid fire in my arms. I've never felt so alive."

Sara looked at him in bemusement. "What does Laurel think?" she asked.

His eyes darkened. "Your sister is not in a good place. Tommy died in the Undertaking. They were dating," he said. "It would do her a world of good to know you're alive. Please, honey. Let's call her."

Sara shook her head. "It's not safe, Dad. Anyone close to me can be targeted by either the League or enemies of the League. I didn't exactly get permission to come home," she admitted. "But I heard about the earthquake and had to see if you guys were okay."

Quentin smiled. "I'm so glad you did," he said, his eyes wet.

Being so public was making Sara antsy. "I've got to go, Dad," she said.

"Can I have a way to reach you? Please?" he begged. "I can't bare losing you again!"

Sara didn't have the heart to refuse him. "I'll be in touch soon," she said. She stood up. Quentin tossed some bills down on the table and followed her out of the diner.

"I can't believe this," he said quietly. "I found you again, but you're already leaving."

She faced him, guilt piercing her. Stepping forward, she pulled him in for a tight hugged. "I love you, Daddy. I missed you so much!" she said against his chest, tears falling. Tears she thought were long gone.

Quentin held his youngest daughter, an act he thought was beyond him in this world. He vowed to do everything in his power to protect her and keep her from feeling anymore pain.

*****_Later*****_

Buffy told Roy not to say anything to Thea until she talked to Quentin. She didn't like secrets, nor did she like keeping them from her friends. However, this was Quentin's business more than anyone else's. Curiosity and a sense of injustice had compelled her to investigate both vigilantes' identity. Oliver hadn't surprised her. Quentin's presumed dead daughter returning and killing rapists and other bad guys was most definitely not what she'd been expecting.

After the club closed, she went to Quentin's.

He opened the door, happy to see her. When she stepped through the door, he pulled her close, needing her strength.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked, looking at him in concern, her arms around his waist.

"I am now that you're here," he said. He led her to the sofa. They sat down, and he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Quite a day, huh?" Buffy said, smiling.

"It's a miracle, Buffy. One I never dared dream," he said. "Dinah thought Sara was alive months ago. Brought me a picture to prove it. I followed up, but it turned out to be someone else. Now I'm thinking Sara found a way to delete any trace of herself."

"Your poor wife," Buffy said. "I mean ex-!"

Quentin grinned. "Dinah's quite a woman. I hope you'll get a chance to meet her someday," he said.

"Should I be jealous?" Buffy had to ask. He had children with the woman. It hadn't been his choice to end the marriage.

Quentin looked like the thought had never occurred to him. "Jealous on my behalf?" he asked in surprise. "I don't think anyone's ever been jealous over me!"

Buffy rapped him on the shoulder, her lower lip sticking out in a pout. "I've been jealous before. I hate it!" she said.

Quentin grazed the back of his hand down her cheek. "Dinah is in my past. I'll always love her. I'll be there if she ever needs me. We had a happy marriage and raised two great girls. But Sara's death destroyed us. It turned me in to an ugly person that she didn't recognize," he shared. "Hell, I didn't recognize who I become. Only Laurel stuck by me. She was the only one who could stomach me."

Buffy knew about loss. She hadn't always handled it well. "I've been ugly myself when in pain. It's both understandable and forgivable," she said.

"Maybe. I guess if there's enough love there," Quentin said. "Or if you're not so broken that it takes all your strength to stay afloat. I think that's what happened to Dinah. Or maybe it was a combination of both."

"Her loss. My gain," Buffy said with a wink, causing him to chuckle.

He couldn't resist leaning down and giving her a kiss. "I'm the one who's gained," he said after he pulled back. "If you hadn't being so determined to find out who the masked woman was, I don't know how long I'd gone on not knowing my daughter was alive."

"Did she tell you where she's been?" Buffy asked.

"Not really. She said something about a mad scientist and then the League of Assassins," he said.

Buffy's face registered her surprise. "That's who trained her?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes. Are you familiar with them? Please tell me it's not what it sounds like," he begged.

"An organization of trained killers, specializing in assassins and terrorism?" she replied. "Yep. That's exactly what it is."

Quentin looked sick. "I don't understand. My Sara was sweet and fun loving. She wouldn't even kill a spider! I always had to release them into the wild!" he said.

"Experiences can change a person. So can power," Buffy said. "A few of my slayers overseas had a run in with the League. They learned to stay clear of our business."

"How do I deal with the murders she's committed here in my own city? I'm a cop!" he said, torn.

"Yes, but you're a father first," Buffy said gently.

"I want to help her," he said.

"Then we'll help her," Buffy replied.

Quentin gave her a grateful look, relieved she used the "we" in her reply. He was in unchartered territory. "I'm not sure she's looking to be saved," he said with a sigh.

"Sure she is," Buffy said. "She wouldn't have come home if not."

"You think so?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded. "My best friend Willow killed a man once," she shared.

Quentin looked surprise. She'd talked a lot about her friends—Willow figured into most of her tales. However, there had been no mention of murder. "Really?"

"When her lover Tara was killed by a bullet meant for me, she went full on crazy in her grief. Turned to the black arts. She skinned Warren—the guy who killed her—with a flick of her wrist. Then she tried to raise a temple that would destroy the world," Buffy said.

Quentin wasn't sure what to do with that information. "Wow," he said.

"But she's fine now. Xander got through to her," Buffy said. "Sometimes it just take a lot of love to pull someone back from the dark place."

Quentin wasn't sure how he'd have gotten through this without Buffy to share it with. Sara insisted that he not tell Dinah or Laurel. The guilt of that was already weighing heavily. "How can I not tell Dinah and Laurel?" he asked.

"You should after you find out more," Buffy said. "You don't want to spook her and have her disappear without a way to contact her."

"She said she'd let me know before she left town."

"Good. After she leaves, you can figure out how you'll tell Laurel," Buffy said.

"But she said it was too dangerous. That both the League and their enemies would be gunning for her," Quentin said in concern.

"Thea and I are both slayers. We can protect anyone that comes along. Not to mention the Arrow fought me on her behalf. I think they're allies," Buffy said. Now she understood that. Oliver knew Sara was alive.

"A vigilante club?" he asked with a half-smile. "This city gets weirder and weirder."

"Could be worse. Could be on a hellmouth," she said.

"Give it time!" he said. Nothing surprised him anymore.

*****_Verdant*****_

Roy was still reeling from the fact that his girlfriend's brother's ex who supposedly died on the boat was still alive. He wondered if maybe Thea's dad would end up alive, too. It was clear to Roy that Oliver Queen was not telling them everything. It was bad enough that he knew Oliver was the Hood. Oliver was full of secrets. Roy couldn't help but wonder what else he was hiding. He put up the last chair as he watched Thea finish counting out the drawer. She'd seemed as distracted as he. Neither had talked much. It'd been a busy night. Roy didn't like keeping things from her, but his fear of Buffy was great. Also, he didn't think Buffy would keep Thea in the dark for long.

After closing up, Roy walked Thea to her car. "Will you come home with me?" she asked.

"Sure," he said.

"I really need to talk to you," she said as she unlocked her car.

Roy opened the passenger door and got in. "What's up?" he asked as she put on her seat belt and put the keys in.

Instead of turning them, she blurted out, "My brother is the Hood!"

Surprised, Roy looked at her, trying to figure out how he should respond. Should he tell her that he already knew? "No freakin' way!" he said in mock disbelief, trying to wrap his mind around that revelation.

"Let's go home, and I'll fill you in," Thea said.

They drove to the Queen mansion in numbed silence. Both had their mind full of the news of the day.

When they got settled, she shared her poor reaction to the news. However, she didn't tell him the things Oliver had shared about the island. It was too personal.

"Do you think your dad is alive, too?" Roy asked. His thoughts about Oliver were all over the place. Somehow he knew how angry Thea would be if she found out that he knew already. He kept silent. The weight of his secrets were pressing in on him, however.

Thea gave him a sharp look. The thought hadn't occurred to her. "No, of course not. Oliver was the only survivor," she said.

Roy wrestled only a moment but revealed, "That's not true." This was one thing he felt he _could_ share.

"What do you mean?"

"Sara Lance is alive. I saw her tonight with my own two eyes!" he shared. Thea shared her secret. There was no way he could keep yet another from her.

Thea let the revelation wash over her. Did that mean her father was alive, too?

******_The Next Day*****_

Ever since she'd caught Oliver with yet another woman that wasn't her, Felicity had only had one thing on her mind: work. It consumed her. She had to find out who was trying to take over Queen Consolidated. She wasn't sure why it was so important that Oliver's family keep their company, but it was. The city had went through enough change. QC was too much a part of the fabric of the city. It had been Felicity's first home since she graduated from MIT. She refused to acknowledge the other reason she was trying so hard.

"I'm going to find you!" she said aloud. There was no one there. Oliver was having dinner with his sister. Diggle was attempting another doomed to fail dinner with Carly. She had the base all to herself.

Finally, she found something. Isabel Rochev. The woman's name kept coming up. Her initial intel had said it was Stellmoor International that was gunning for Queen Consolidated. Rochev was leading the charge. As far as Felicity could see, the woman was the only one behind the moment going on. All roads seemed to lead to her. Finding out facts about the woman, though, hadn't been easy. Now, though, Felicity was on the right track. She was about to find out all there was to know about the illusive CEO. She clicked on another page. Her mouth fell open in shock.

"No frakking way!" she exclaimed.

The beautiful woman she saw on the page looked way too familiar. It was a woman whom she'd never forget.

Oliver's newest lover was the woman out to destroy his family's legacy.

And the hits kept coming.

*****_To Be Continued*****_

_I hope this chapter was still pleasing without Oliver in it. Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated!_


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